Dream Vacation
by xxNarielxx
Summary: (A/U) Serena's romantic dreams are washed up when her parents cancel their family beach side trip, choosing to spend their vacation at a boring mountain retreat instead. But when the guy of her dreams turns out to be real, he just might be the ticket to salvaging her vacation.
1. Chapter 1

**Dream Vacation**

Rating: T

Alternate Universe: No Sailor Moon or superpowers in this story. The characters are just ordinary people.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Sailor Moon franchise or any of its characters

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**Authors note: Hey everyone. I hope you like my new story. It's a little different, but in a good way. :D**

**I'm having a lot of fun writing it.**

**So read and enjoy. Oh and please review as well. Even a small comment is always nice. Thanking you in advance. Big hugs to you all.**

**P.S. Despite the title, the story is not set in a Dream like state. Everyone is very much awake. :p**

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**Hi Guys**

**I have no idea what happened, but there was a problem with one of my chapters. The file was corrupt and as a result the whole story was affected. **

**So I had no choice but to delete my story and repost. Thank goodness for backup copies. :D**

**I am so sorry. Please if you love my story add it once again to your alerts and favorites. **

**Have a Merry Christmas/Seasons Greetings. Have a save and wonderful start to the New Year.**

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*****oOo*****

**Chapter One**

"Where!? We're going to what!?" Serena gasped incredulously, staring at her parents in total horror.

"Serena, don't talk with food in your mouth." Her mother, Irene Tsukino, scolded her as she began to clear up the used dirty bowls from around the table. Wearing a pale yellow top with a high neckline and orange skirt that hung down just over her knees; fluffy red slippers and a white apron with green trimming tied firmly around her waist with a big white bow at the back. Her long dark blue hair hung loosely around her face.

Her face held a loving but tired look. Fine lines under her eyes and corner of her mouth was evident of her never ending, unyielding and sometimes thankless job of being a stay at home mother.

Serena huffed, mumbling under her breath she shoveled another spoonful of curry and steamed rice into her mouth. Her family were sitting around the dinner table when her step father decided to drop the bombshell that their family vacation to the beach had been cancelled.

It was a homey environment, painted in soft greens and whites, with a narrow adjoining kitchen area of wood cabinets and wooden counters. The dining room was set to the side and with quaint square white table and accenting chairs. The whole area gave off the warm aura of a happy functional family

"Why?" Serena wailed, flinging small chunks of food from her mouth across the table.

"Sheesh Serena. Say it, don't spray it." Her older step-brother Jed protested from the other side of the table, flicking grains of rice from his new polo shirt onto the floor.

"Jed!" Serena's mother protested returning to the room. "I just cleaned that floor."

He shrugged, indifferent to his stepmothers' cries of outrage. "So, the cat will eat it."

"Luna doesn't eat off the floor." Serena retorted, placing her elbows on the table. "Unlike some people…"

"Hey, three second rule people."

"You're disgusting." She snorted, rolling her eyes in disdain

Kenji Tsukino cleared his throat, sitting at the head of the table; drawing the attention of his squabbling two teenage children, tired eyes watching them though his thick black rimmed glasses. Like his wife he too knew the rigors of backbreaking labor and early mornings rises. A hard working well-meaning man he worked as a magazine reporter, which usually involved long hours at the office and frequent business trips across the country and even overseas.

Those rare moments when he could relax at home he still maintained that distinct work identity to which he was accustom to, dressing smartly in a pale aquamarine shirt, hidden underneath a tan colored jumper; beige work pants with polished black shoes.

"As I was saying…the company has given me a nice bonus this year." He explained looking extremely proud of himself and pleased by the whole idea. "And to celebrate for two weeks we have rented a beautiful cabin at Crown Resort."

"Ooh, I remember that place." Irene commented gleefully, dishing out a second helping of food to her demanding teenage son who was eternally grateful. "The air is so fresh, and you wake up with the beautiful sight of Mount Fuji on the horizon."

_Big deal._ Serena thought dejectedly, twirling her fork in her rice. _I can see that stupid mountain anytime I want._

"But- I thought it was all planed, we were going to Nii-jima!" She whined, knowing full well that her voice was extremely petulant and had a slight hysterical edge to it. But she couldn't help it; she had been looking forward to it all year, the perfect way to spend her long summer break at an island retreat in the Pacific Ocean.

She had it all planed out in her head; the beautiful white sands, her new killer bathing suit and the hot American tourists who come for the big waves. The droplets of sea spray glistening on their perfectly sculptured bodies, the hot summer sun giving them that perfect bronzed tan; eyes so perfect staring at her with so much longing, lips so close…

"I am sorry Serena, but my decision is final." Her stepfather said, breaking the bubble of her beautiful fantasy.

"Besides…" Her mother interjected with a pleasant smile. "I am sure you two will still have a great time."

_Doubt it._ _They never show gorgeous guys at a mountain retreats on postcards._

Desperate she turned to her older seventeen year old step-brother for support. "Jed, help me out here." She knew that he would be disappointed too; after all it wasn't just hot American guys who visited that island. "Tell the truth, I know you would rather go to Nii-jima?"

Jed shrugged in that typical I don't really care attitude. "Whatever, it doesn't matter to me. Crown Resort sounds ok. I guess I could learn to windsurf another time." He smiled shoveling a second helping of curry and rice into his mouth.

Serena narrowed her eyes, shooting him her best 'you traitor look' Most of the time her older step-brother was cool, granted he wasn't her biological brother but they were still close. Her mom married again for the second time when Serena was still a little girl. Jed was Kenji son from a previous marriage that had ended badly. It had been hard on Irene at first, raising Serena as a single mother; but meeting Kenji had really changed her. She smiled a lot more and was genuinely happy and very much in love.

Serena would never say it to his face but Jed was a pretty great guy, most of the time. When he wasn't playing some childish practical joke or driving her around the bend.

He was three years older than her, and he knew that she had hit that boy crazy age and how important that vacation to the beach would be to her…Oooh sometimes she could strangle that neck of his.

"But—but I want to go."

"Yeah..." Jed surprisingly added, and for a brief moment Serena was left speechless, thinking that he was finally agreeing with her; until he finished his sentence with. "Serena just wants to go and perve on all the hot guys there."

"Shut up! I do not." She cried; damn it was she really that transparent?

Kenji looked at her warily, raising his eyebrow. "Nobody is perving on anybody. This is a family vacation and we will _all_ spend time together as a family."

"Awwww!" The two teenagers groaned at the same time. Wasn't the idea of a vacation to get away from spending time with your parents? Now for the next two weeks they would be spending every waking moment with them.

Irene looked at the two patiently. "Now, now you two, I would like to spend some time at Nii-jima too, but we don't always get what we want out of life. This is important to your father, he has worked hard and the company is finally recognizing his many years of hard work. Now we are going to Crown Resort and I am sure we will have a wonderful time." Her words were pleasant, but her tone was one that signified this conversation was over.

"Well, I'm going to take the car down to the repair garage and see about getting that oil change and tune up, none of us will have any fun if the car breaks down." Kenji stood up from the table and grabbed the car keys that hung on the kitchen wall. "I'll be back soon."

"While you are there can you get them to check about that funny noise coming from the back, I swear, it's driving me up the wall."

"Alright." Kenji kissed his wife softly on the cheek. "I'll be back soon." With a smile and quick wave to his children he left the house.

Jed stretched and yawned loudly, characteristically drawing attention to himself. "Yeah, I'd better head off too. Gotta change then me and some mates are heading to the movies…"

"Oooh, going to watch that new R rated horror movie? I heard it super scary, and there is blood and gore like every five minutes." Serena teased

"Jed! You are not going to watch any R rated movies." Irene gasped in alarm.

"Thanks a lot Meatball Head." He chided, being caught out with his plan.

"Any time you jerk." She restored back in good humor, poking her tongue out.

Jed also stood up from the table, dusting down his denim jean before disappearing down the hallway into his room.

Serena looked glumly down at her half-finished dinner left on the plate, once more swirling her fork through her remainder pile of food, disinterred in eating any more. She was so depressed that her dream vacation had dissolved into nothing but dust. She had no desire to go to some quite mountain retreat with nothing to do or see. No shopping arcades, no cute guys, no sand or surf. It was a place a retired pensioner would go for a holiday not a fourteen year old girl.

Her mother's voice broke into her daydream, gently patting her on the hand in a consoling manner. "Sweetheart, I know you are disappointed about our vacation…"

_Disappointed?_ She thought. _How about crushed, mortified, inconsolable…_

"I know it would have been great to go to Nii-jima, but it just is realistic this year." She smiled understandingly. "You'll have a good time at Crown Resort. Your father and I went there on a vacation a few years ago. The cabins are really quaint and the scenery is breathtaking. There are these gorgeous pine trees, and the sight of Mount Fuji, like you young people say, is totally sick."

Serena looked at her mother in disbelief. How could a bunch of stupid trees and an old dormant volcano begin to compete with her hot surfer fantasy? Besides what was so great about going to Mt Fuji, she could see it at home on a clear day. And did her mom really think that they communicated better when she used the words 'totally sick'. Who talks like that?

"On the way there, perhaps you and I could spend some time together shopping."

_Shopping?_ _That didn't sound so bad_. Serena thought, looking up at her mother, showing for the first time some modicum of interest. Until she said

"…They have this little antique shop with these cute copper plated-"

That did it for Serena. Now this was going to be the most boring summer of her life. With a large moan, Serena banged her head down on the table, totally defeated, narrowly missing her dinner plate. Her long golden hair flopped onto the table trailing over the edges, covering her face and hiding the disappointment in her eyes, with two distinct buns of hair tied up on top of her head it completed her traditional Odango style.

"Mom, that is so boring!" She groaned with her head still on the table. Man, could this get any worse? Next she'll be saying they'll be sharing a cabin with an old married couple and their sixteen cats.

There were two things Serena's mother loved in this world, her family and her antiques. Their house was covered with various knickknacks, ornaments, copper kettles and plates. Serena didn't hold the same enthusiasm for them as her mother. To Serena they were just cracked old dishes, musty smelling things and other paraphernalia that was more like junk then something of value. And people pay a fortune for that stuff?

Irene patted her daughters hand briskly. "Serena, I am sure it won't be that bad, were all going to have a wonderful time." She smiled as she stood up from the table. "Now, come and help me clean the dishes."

Serena shot upright, her mind quickly thinking of a good reason to get out of doing her chores. "Uh, Mom, I can't." She quickly protested. "See, I promised Molly that I would help her clean out her room. Her mom is threatening to do a major overall of all her stuff, and Molly really needs my help."

That was only a half-truth; she had promised to help her best friend, it just wasn't as urgent as she had made it sound. Deep down she knew she was being obnoxious, but she didn't care. The fact that her family had ruined her vacation had left her with too much resentment to do the dishes.

Irene smiled, looking at her with that pleasant 'That's nice dear' look. "Ok, sweetheart, you run along and go help your friend. Just be back before dark."

Serena nodded and raced to her room, before her mother questioned her about it anymore; quickly disappearing down the hallway, slamming the door shut behind her. Grabbing her cell phone from the white vanity unit she flopped down onto the bunny pattern sheets of her bed; narrowly missing her sleeping black cat, who lay sleeping at the foot of the bed.

"Sorry Luna." She mumbled an apology as she began to punch in the numbers for her friend. Luna yawned as she slowly awoke, stretching out her long slender body on the bed, with a loud hiss she signified her annoyance at having been rudely awoken by the rambunctious teenager.

"I said I was sorry." Serena insisted, bringing the phone to her ear as she waited for Molly to answer.

Luna was disinterested in the blonde's admission of guilt; instead she jumped from the bed up onto the top of the wardrobe, eager to reclaim her sleep.

The teen rolled her eyes in disdain. "Sheesh, you are such a big baby."

_"And hello to you too."_ A cheerful Brooklyn accented voice replied on the other end of her phone.

Serena bit her lip sheepishly, even though her friend could not see her. "Hey Molly. Sorry, I was talking to the cat."

Molly giggled, and Serena was sure she would be shaking her head in amusement. _"So, what's up?"_

"What's up!? Molly it's something so horrible, so terrible..." She practically wailed down the phone

_"Calm down Sere, what's wrong?"_

There were only two people in the world that could call Serena Sere, one was here best friend Molly and the other her future boyfriend that she had yet to acquire.

Serena gaze darted around the room; although she was alone in her room she wasn't convinced she was truly alone; the walls were paper thin. Her brother's room was further down the hallway and she wasn't' convinced he had left yet. And her mother was prowling the halls and could walk in on her at any moment. She needed to talk to her friend, but in complete privacy.

"Not here Molly, meet me at the usual place in ten minutes."

_"Sure thing Sere, I'll see you then." _And with that they ended the call.

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Serena paced up and down, biting her fingernails nervously as she waited for her friend. She always bit her nails when she was tense, it was a bad habit that drove her mother insane, trying all sort of methods to make her stop with little success. It was a shame, for it spoilt the delicate look of her hands and slender fingers with stumpy half gnawed nails on the end.

"Where is she?" She asked herself as the warm summer sun continued to beat on her from on high. Serena quickly removed her light weight jacket, wrapping it around her waist, tying the two sleeves together into a makeshift bow; wondering while the hell she chosen to wear it on such a warm day. Underneath she wore tight pink tank top, with a low neckline, choosing a pair of matching faded hipster jeans and comfortable sport shoes.

It wasn't like Molly to be late for such 'critical' meetings; their spot of choice was just outside the jewelry store, located on the corner of the busy commercial street. The outside of the lower floor was white, with pink awnings that hang over the doors and windows. Above the first story was a huge blue and green sign that that showed the name of the store, 'OSA-P' written in large pink letters.

Most people would find that a choice spot of strange, with people coming at going and loud busy crowds there was little chance of privacy. Not to Serena; over the years she had learnt that most people were too wrapped up in their own little worlds to even remotely be paying attention to anything she and her friend where saying. Plus as a bonus if the conversation ran dry, or they needed a hiding place from one of the senior girls at her school they could always dart into the store. Owned and run by Molly's mother who was all too happy to accommodate for the girls, showing them beautiful elegant pieces made of gold and silver, sparkling under the bright store lights and incrusted with delicate hand carved and polished diamonds, sapphires and emeralds.

"Hey." A free-spirited young girl approached her, wearing a pale yellow tank top- tucked into her unflattering long orange skirt that hung down past her knees. With her distinct accent and short, curly light brown hair accented with a large green bow, Molly Baker was easily recognizable. Born in Brooklyn New York she moved to Azabu-Juban with her mother when she was still very young. With her pleasant features, friendly smile and loving kind spirit Molly became instantly well-liked by many of her classmates. Forming a close bond with Serena, they had been friends, almost sisters while growing up together.

"What took you so long?" Serena asked unbelieving, embracing her friend in a quick hug.

Molly smiled, trying to hide the guilty look in her eye. "My mom rang and asked me to run a few errands for her before meeting you."

Serena calmed slightly, though was still sore about having to wait so long.

"So…what's the big disaster?" Molly asked, rubbing her hand anxiously up and down along her arm

"The big disaster is that my perfect beach side trip is ruined!" She exploded, pacing up and down past the store front window. "That's the big disaster!"

"Oh my, that's a huge bummer." Molly stated sympathetically.

Serena nodded in agreement. "Yeah, were going to some dumb place called Crown Resort instead. So I guess I'll be fishing instead of wind surfing this year." She tried to sound humorous instead of glum, but Molly knew her better. They had been best friends for years, growing up together since preschool. They knew everything about each other, sisters in almost every way.

"Sorry to hear that, Sere."

She nodded and the two decided stepped inside the jewelry store, eager to get out of the heat. The store was busy today, with many different women over a range of different ages, oohing and ahhing over various charms and jewels. Molly's mother was flat out trying to cater to all the questions and purchases, but still finding that brief moment wave to her daughter and her friend as they entered the store, she smiled as they waved in return.

The interior of the store had white walls with pink and purple display cases and framed painting fixed into them. Along some of the walls where large velvet red curtains, most likely used to hide some items from prying eyes of the customers, the square and rectangular shaped counter tops dotted around the store were made of glass, used for displaying the jewelry. With strategically placed large, white marble support columns dotted around the store, some set against the walls, while others stood freely in the middle of the shop floor. Small bright lamps attached to the sides of each column provide the store with light in conjunction with the large storefront windows and smaller windows higher-up inside the store.

"You don't get it Molly..." Serena sighed despondently, leaning on one of the glass counters, observing the beautiful engagement rings on display.

"I have been looking forward to this all year. I saved up all my money for the last several months. I even had to forgo getting the new Sailor V video game so I could afford this hot new swimsuit. Now all I have to look forward to is a two-hour car ride and a fortnight at some stupid lake, besides some boring old mountain."

"At least you got a holiday this year." Molly stated incredulously, standing to the side of her moody friend with her hands planted on her hips. "My summer is going to be spent at my grandma's house."

A crack of a smile appeared in the corner of her mouth, breaking her solemn expression. "The house that smells like old cheese...?"

"The very same."

"Damn. Sorry to hear that."

Molly smiled, leaning on the glass counter next to her friend, lazily drawing streaky lines with her fingertip on the polished surface. "Don't get me wrong I love my grandmother, it's just not how I wanted to spend my summer."

"I guess we've both got families that are completely clueless to what teenage girls really want."

"Amen to that."

A long silence in the conversation, Serena impatiently began strumming her short finger nails along the counter; irritating scratchy noise that was driving Molly nuts, so much so that she was left with no choice but to playfully slap her friends hand to stop her being so immature.

"I guess that's the problem living so close to Tokyo." She casually observed. "It's all city, with no skyline. So our folks always want to go for scenic vacations to get away from all that."

"Yeah, I get what you are saying." Serena replied with a sigh, turning around, leaning back against the counter. "But I had my sights set on a different kind of scenery you know…one that had nothing to do with a mountain."

Molly nodded in silent agreement, completely understanding what she had implied.

"You know." She thoughtfully began. "In a way, I hate summers. We don't see our friends like we do every day in the school year."

Serena sighed again, pondering about what her friend had said. "There is no way we're going to get boyfriends if this keeps up. This summer is by far the worst ever."

"We're too young to drive to places, and get in where the actions is…" Molly began

"…And too old to play with dolls to pass the time." Serena added finishing the sentence. They looked at each other for a moment with perfect understanding of one another.

"I was really hoping I would meet someone during my vacation. I mean look at us Molly; I swear we're the only fourteen year olds in the world to never have had a boyfriend. Mom keeps saying oh you have plenty of time to find love, but I'm beginning to think love has lost my address."

"I hear that. My mom keeps saying that I'm a lovely young woman who will find a cute boy someday."

"Yeah, but when is someday?"

"We're not getting any younger you know."

"I know. And now it looks like all I will meet this summer is a bunch of fish."

Molly giggled, shoving a strand of short curly hair behind her ear. "At least a fish would be better than kissing Melvin Butlers."

Serena shuddered. "Ewww…Melvin Butlers. That guy needs to get a clue."

A mischievous look glittered in her eyes "You know he likes you, Serena."

Serena felt like she was going to be sick. That thought made her stomach ache, and roll with acid.

"Oh great, that just made my day."

Melvin Butlers was a loud mouth, geek and just simply the biggest dweeb in High School. With his weird nerdy voice, characteristic large swirly glasses that hid away half of his face, over-enthusiastic nature and love of maths that Serena simply loathed. She met Melvin in first grade of High School and from that day on he had been 'popping' up around her; interjecting in her conversations with some know it all comments about stuff Serena either didn't understand or didn't care about. His socially awkward nature and weakling stature made Melvin try a little too hard to acquire new friends. Serena couldn't stand to be around him, but was simply too nice and polite to say otherwise.

"Cheer up, Serena. It could be worse."

"How Molly?" Serena asked, throwing her hands up in the air in disbelief. "How could it be worse?"

With a devilish grin she replied. "Well…you could be married to Melvin."

Serena nearly screamed, now she was going to be sick. "Seriously Molly, you have over active and frankly quite wicked imagination."

"Me!" Molly exclaimed unbelieving. "What about you? What about the time, you know last year, when you were making dinner and you called me screaming down the phone saying that you had lost your thumb while chopping vegetables; when really it was just tomato sauce."

Serena blushed, shuffled one foot shyly against into the carpet as she looked away. "Well it was red, and thick. It could have been blood."

"Right... And what about the time you were sure your brother was a spy, cause kept locking himself alone in the bathroom for extended periods of time–"

"Okay, okay." Serena interrupted her before she could bring up any more stories or unpleasant thoughts about her older step brother. "I admit it—sometimes I have an over active imagination."

Molly snorted in disbelieve. "Sometimes?"

"Yeah, but have you thought that maybe were such good friends because I have an imagination and you have none."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I just imagined you and Melvin married didn't I?" She replied

"That was just cruel." Serena was quick to point out

"I know." Molly laughed. "Anyway we're such best friends because where about the same size and we can borrow each other's clothing."

"No…" Serena smiled at the fond memory of their first meeting all those years ago. "It's because our mom's accidently mistook us for the wrong girls in preschool."

Molly smiled, also basking in the fondness of the memory. "That was funny. I mean it's the only time I had blonde hair too."

"We looked alike back then, until you cut and dyed your hair and developed such a weird taste in clothing." Serena teased, giving her friends hair a gentle tug.

"Speaking of clothing..." She began as they both walked across the store to another display counter, this once showing off beautiful necklaces and different shaped lockets. "Do you still want to borrow my peach sundress for your vacation?"

Serena thought about it for a moment as she leaned over the counter, awed by the beauty of one particular star shaped locket with a long silver chain that she wished she could afford.

Thinking about what Molly said, she really wanted the cute little sundress and Molly had allowed her permission to borrow it for her fun-filled trip to Nii-jima. It looked really good on her, showing off her long slender legs and it would have been perfect for romantic walks on the beach.

"No…" She sighed, dejectedly turning away from the display. Now with two things she wanted badly but simply couldn't have. "I guess there is no point now. I don't want to waist a perfectly good dress on a bunch of fish and wildlife." Once again the small blonde sank back into her dark pit of depression.

"Sere, it might not be so bad." Molly stated placing a compassionate hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you'll meet a really gorgeous guy. You know the outdoorsy type."

She smiled at the wishful thought. "And he also has a flawless smile and handsome face…"

"With a well-toned body…" Molly added with a smile.

"Baby blue eyes…"

"Perfectly tanned skin…"

Both girls sighed dreamily, content to be in the world of their own imaginations with their ideal of perfect boyfriends; until the harshness of reality called them back into the world of the living.

Serena shook her head, looking at her friend dubiously. "Yeah right, Molly. Knowing my luck he'll smell like a bear, and probably look like one too." Serena deadpanned, certain that this vacation was definitely going to be the worst fourteen days of her entire life

"It could be worse."

Serena laughed, knowing full well what she meant. "I know… I could be married to Melvin."


	2. Chapter 2

*****oOo*****

**Chapter Two**

_The cool ocean water lapped at her ankles, Serena breathed in deep; a huge smile of contentment as she lay down on her soft beach rug, looking fabulous in her new pink bikini swim suit. _The bright summer sun overhead tanned her body to a gorgeous bonze, the light magically streaking her hair with tints of shimmering gold.

_Lowering her sunglasses to the edge of her nose her heart almost stopped beating, for suddenly standing around her were three of the most striking young men she had ever met in her whole life._

_The first young man of the group approached her. __With thick silvery hair, cut short and kept above his shoulders; with soft purple tinged coloured eyes, clean face and soft features he looked like a model. __Wearing only red swimming trunks his well-toned body was covered with a perfect tan, powerfully built, the thick muscles of his arms and legs evident of his strength and rigorous fitness regime. _

"_Serena, please. Come and learn to windsurf with me." He pleaded with her, his eyes gazing at her with so much longing. His voice was sensual, making her heart skip a beat in her chest. A cheeky smile and a mischievous glint in his eyes that made her wonder if he only had windsurfing in mind…_

"_No Serena, come with me..." The second man stepped forward pushing aside the fair-haired pretender. "I'll treat you like a Princess. I'll take you out to dinner, buy you expensive clothes. Anything you want, I will do for you."_

_Short, __wispy light brown hair, cut neat and short, with cute bangs sitting above his blue grey eyes. He took her hand helping her to stand. __The gentile touch of his hands, fingers brushing affectionately across her cheek, showed a deeper more tender nature that the first guy lacked._

_Bare chested wearing lavender swim trunks he was not as well toned as the first, with his pale completion and skinny frame. He smiled at her; saying no more he took out a small wooden flute from his pocket. Bringing it to slowly his lips Serena was instantly swept away with the beautiful melody that seemed to dance all around her, filling her heart and soul with song. _

_A brush against her bare shoulder drew her attention away, she could feel something soft and delicate glide slowly down her arm. Looking over her shoulder the third guy approached behind her, holding a single long-stemmed red rose. Wielding it like a wand he continued to glide it down her arm; finally reaching her hand he clasped the two together, holding her so protectively. _

_Serena couldn't breathe, her heart almost stopped beating; he was so handsome, everything her imagination had ever dreamed of. With short but thick ebony hair with cute bangs sitting above his midnight blue eyes. Wearing only black swim trunk, his body was tanned and well-toned like the first, with thick powerful arm and leg muscles; but his touch held such sensuality and sweetness like the second. But truly it was his smile. Serena had never seen a smile so perfect; it could have melted even the coldest of hearts. She could feel his warm breath against the back of her neck, making her involuntary shiver with anticipation. _

_Serena let her eyes flutter closed as he wrapped his strong arms around her dainty waist, hands resting against her flat stomach. He leaned in close, lips against her ear; she knew he was about to speak, and his voice like the rest of him would be perfect too. _

_He would say something romantic, sexy, something that would take her breath away; that would make her knees tremble, butterflies dance in her stomach, her body melt in his embrace. _

_Something like…_

"Oh look a squirrel!"

_What the Hell...!?_

"Kids, look at the squirrel!" Irene's enthusiastic voice penetrated Serena's sleep-fogged brain, banishing her beautiful dream into the realm of oblivion.

Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she willed the dream to come back, to be back in the arms of her super hunk once more. She couldn't believe it, this was the first time in her life three very good looking guys had fought over her, desired her. Now they were gone and only two things were left on her mind. One was the silly squirrel, her mom eagerly taking hundreds of pictures of as they quickly drove past the tree. And two, the unanswered question if she was truly an orphan and perhaps her 'real' parents would have been more considerate by letting her sleep and not waking her to look at some stupid rodent.

"Serena, honey, you really should sit up and look at the marvellous scenery." Irene stated, leaning her arm around the front passenger seat, shaking her half sleeping daughter awake.

"Mom!" Serena sighed in defeat, knowing her mom wouldn't be satisfied until she sat up and at least acted somewhat enthusiastic. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she willed her sluggish brain to resister the real world once again.

Opening her eyes more fully she found suddenly herself face to face with her step-brothers foot, his big toe sticking out of hole at the end of his dirty white sock. Eyes wide, uttering a strangled gasp of disgust Serena shoved his foot harshly out of her face. Jed was sound asleep, but as his foot hit the floor he mumbled something incoherent, and something else that sounded like "Sailor Moon" before changing his sleeping position.

Observing her step-brother, eyelids fluttering furiously, she wondered what kind of nonsensical dream was he stuck in. Who the hell was Sailor Moon?

Sitting up straighter in the car seat, rubbing the last of sleep from her eyes she stared glumly out the window. When they had left the house much earlier in the day, it was still dark, with the last remnants of night as the first rays of dawn began to poke over the horizon. Now the sun was much higher in the cloudless sky; not having a watch Serena could only guess it was around about nine or ten o' clock. Watching the scenery roll on by in the family Sudan she was instantly bored. Dirty black highway beneath them, with one or two sparse cars that raced past, as her father insisted on drive at least five kilometres below the speed limit at all times.

Bordering the highway were thick woods, covered with Japanese pine that housed the infamous brown rodents that had woken Serena up. Further ahead was postcard perfect snapshot of Mt Fuji; the clear weather allowing unspoiled viewing of the majestic mountain. With the warmer weather the famed snow caped peaks had receded, but was still a slight to behold

A sight to anyone except Serena…

With a long disinterested sigh, ruffling the golden bangs of hair, she cupped her chin in her hand; wishing that something interesting would happen. That one of her dream guys would suddenly ride up in a flashy car or on motorbike, like a knight in shining armour, and save her from this sheer boredom.

"Well, I see Sleeping Beauty is finally awake." Kenji chuckled viewing her thought the rear-view mirror. "Now if you can wake up Prince Charming over here, we'll stop at the nearest restaurant and get some breakfast."

Serena looked at her brother distastefully as he snored loudly, mouth gaped open like a goldfish; a thin watery trial of drool ran down his chin like a baby, falling onto the collar of his crinkled grey shirt. There were many things she could call her step-brother but Prince Charming was definitely not one of them. There was nothing remotely charming about him, especially when he slept.

A mountain gorilla had more charm than he did.

With a nudge she elbowed him harshly in the side. "Wake up."

Jed mumbled something in response, swatting her arm away like an annoying fly as he tried to reclaim his sleep.

Feeling devilish Serena lent forward in her chair, restrained slightly by the tight nylon seatbelt, she whispered softly into his ear.

"…Time to eat"

Her brother eyes immediately flew open; quickly sitting up with such vigour he banged his head on the celling of the car; the loud thump causing Serena to laugh. She knew her brother well and there were only two things his seventeen year old brain thought of…women and food. Not necessarily in that order.

"Thanks a lot Meatball Head." He grumbled rubbing his sore wound.

Serena shook her head ruefully; Meatball Head the most famous of his taunts he used to drive his little sister insane. He thought he was so clever the day he came up with it, her unique Odango style of hair sending his imagination wild, it did not take him look to come up with a nickname for her. A name that he automatically turned to whenever she was less than the 'perfect' sister.

"Any time jerk." Serena retorted with good humour, childishly poking out her tongue and pulling down her lower eyelid.

Serena hated to admit it at time, but she was close to her older step-brother. They had been together since she was a little kid. After her father died when she was still a baby and her mother remarried some years later. Most of the time he didn't treat her like some kid sister, there was an unspoken respect between the two, and like most brothers and sisters they argued and taunted each other. But it was in good humour.

It was flattering that most of the girls that she knew in school considered Jed to be an attractive guy. And Serena would be the first to admit that there was some truth to that claim. He was tall, but not lanky; working out at the gym and regular football training had filled his frame out nicely. He had short sandy blonde hair, soft pale blue eyes, with a distinct pointed chin, handsome facial features but giving him with a somewhat baby faced look about him. He was a bit of a ladies man, a self-proclaimed smooth talker; his vast popularity leaving him a little big headed at times.

Still, she was the only one who saw her brother in the morning when he got out of bed. Hair sticking up, un-brushed teeth leaving him with that distinct 'morning breath', five o' clock shadow, unwashed week old tank top undershirt and pyjama bottoms, his face creased from laying on his pillow all night. It always made her chuckle seeing him flirt with some girl at High School; she would look at him all doe eyed, nervously giggling as he worked his suave lines. She wondered if they would still be as excited if they saw him in the mornings; drinking straight out of the milk carton, or licking the edge of the butterknife before putting it back into the peanut butter.

"How much further is it to Crown stupid?" Serena asked bitterly, folding her arms across her chest. They could have been relaxing on a white sandy beach at Nii-jima by now, letting her gaze absorb the 'local scenery'.

"Serena, stop being so moody all the time." Irene scolded turning around briefly in her seat.

"Don't worry about it Mom, she's just PMSing." Jed teased, earning him a hard punch on the shoulder from Serena.

"Jed, don't say things like that about your sister." Irene protested, embarrassed by the boy's boldness.

Kenji cleared his throat, once again looking at her through the rear view mirror. "We're about just over an hour or so away from _Crown Resort_…" He emphasised his last words correcting the petulant title of the place given by his morose stepdaughter.

"If you want, we could just wait until we get to the cabin to eat breakfast?"

"No!" Serena and Jed cried out simultaneously. Serena clutched her stomach tight as it began to growl loudly from hunger pains.

"I don't want to wait a whole hour and whatever it is to eat.' Jed exclaimed. "I'm a growing boy…"

He looked over at Serena, and she warily looked back at him knowing that look all too well. His eyes teasing her like they always did when he was about to make some snide remark. "And look at Serena, she's so pale and sickly, she's practically wasting away…Oh wait, sorry, she always looks like that."

Another hard punch on the shoulder, making sure she hit the same spot as before. "Owie, I'm going to bruise there now." He whimpered like a big baby rubbing his sore arm. Serena rolled her eyes in disdain; he was so over exaggerating the whole thing, trying to play the sympathy card.

"Give me your other arm and I'll give you a matching one." Serena warned against future insults, balling a fist right up into his face.

"Oooh, I'm so scared fatty." He badgered, knowing full well he would get a reaction out of her.

"Don't call me fat!" Serena snapped back. She hated being called fat; she was so self-conscious about her weight. She was not overweight by any stretch of the imagination. Serena was beautiful, a little short for her age, but very slender girl. At fourteen she hadn't finished growing, though her mother had insisted she was developing normally for a girl her age, her short height lack of established womanly curves and breasts left her feeling less attractive and unconfident around guys like some of the more developed girls at her school.

"You are such a jerk." She grumbled, crossing her arms over her small chest in a near pout.

"Cool it, Meatball Brain." Jason responded, a cool look in his sky blue eyes.

"Moron." She stated in a huff.

"Air head." He threw back, crossing his arms behind his head as he moaned in a half stretch not taking her seriously at all.

"Will you two stop it!?" Irene reprimanded once again, this time not turning around in her seat to address the squabbling teenagers. "I swear you two argue more now than you did when you were kids."

A disgruntled meow came from the back of the car as Luna jumped up from her hidden hiding place, landing squarely on top of Serena's head.

"Luna…" Serena cooed as she pulled the small feline off her head, gently resting her on her lap.

"Hey look Serena; Luna thinks your head is a litter tray."

Jed laughed. Serena rolled her eyes, blowing out a loud exasperated sigh; another lame joke at her expense, courteously by her immature step-brother.

"Oh, grow up will ya?" She wailed back.

Luna meowed once again before snuggling up into a comfortable ball on Serena's lap.

"See. Even Luna has had enough of you two bickering." Irene added.

Jed laughed once again. He leaned over and affectionately tousled his sister's golden hair, much to her displeasure

"You're all right for a kid sister." He grinned.

"Oh gee, I am so glad you approved of me; considering you're stuck with me." Serena replied dryly, flattening down her now ruined hair style.

"Hey Dad, when you married mom was Serena really part of the deal as well?" Jed asked, once again the mischievous look crept into his eyes.

This time Serena decided to return the favour with her own good-humoured grousing. "Hey Mom, have they perfected the science on brain transplants for stupid step-brothers yet?"

Kenji and Irene glanced worryingly at each other, their expression full of dread, wondering if the next two weeks where going to be spent like this.

"I hope you two can act civilized inside." Irene said as Kenji turned the car into the small car park of a nearby restaurant.

Jed and Serena looked at each other with very uncivilized faces, before dissolving into fits of laughter.

* * *

**Later in the day...**

"Well, here it is everyone." Kenji smiled proudly as he turned the car around a corner and up a small hill.

"Finally…" Jed exasperated removing the earphones attached to his portable music player, hidden in his jeans pocket.

"Oh my, isn't it beautiful." Irene gasped appreciatively, before looking at her husband; her smile instantly fading into a disapproving frown. "I told you should have asked for directions."

"Hey, I got us here didn't I?"

"Yes my love, you did."

Irene shook her head ruefully. Her husband could be so stubborn and headstrong when he believed he was right. Convinced it was the left turnoff had inadvertently added an extra two hours to their journey. All he had to do was look at the map or pull over at the closest gas station and ask for directions. But he insisted he knew a 'short cut' and stopping unnecessarily would simply be a waste of time.

"Serena, look at the scenery sweetheart." Irene breathed in awe.

Serena groaned dismally, a wave of nausea washed over her, the world spinning around in a disorienting blur as she clutched her sore stomach. Learning a valuable lesson; that off road car rides and a stomach full of fried bacon and eggs were not a winning combination.

That was the last time she would let her father stop at an American style restaurant for breakfast.

"Oh Mom…" She moaned painfully.

"Dear, are you alright?" Irene asked in alarm turning around in her seat, patting her daughter knee sympathetically.

Jed skirted to the side of the car, looked at her startled and wide eyed, like she had suddenly grown a second head. "Dad, pull over! Serena's going to puke."

Luna howled in fright, she too was quick to move away from the sickly blonde, jumping up onto Jed shoulders; also wanting to put as much space as possible.

"I'm not going to puke." Serena groaned leaning forward, resting her head on her knees.

"Jed, show a little sympathy for your sister." Irene scolded. "Serena, I told you not to eat so much; the American style of food is different to what we normally eat at breakfast. You're not used to it."

'I can see that…" Serena mumbled dismally with her head still resting on her knees "But it tastes so good."

"I'll drive a little slower, ok." Kenji smiled sympathetically looking through the rear view mirror. "That should help you feel better."

"…Thanks Dad."

"Great." Jed complained, cracking his knuckles in the palm of his hand. "Now it will take even longer to get there."

Everyone in the car ignored his juvenile comment.

Slowly but surely Serena began to feel better, her vision returned to normal and her grumbling stomach had settled down. Her parents were busy chatting away to themselves in the front of the car, while her brother had once again disappeared into the world of his music, moving and swaying in his seat, mouthing the words to an unknown song, Luna had moved into the back of the car, perhaps sleeping on one of the many suitcases or boxes they had brought for the vacation. The surface of road was now a bit smoother, less bumpy, or perhaps she had simply gotten used to it. Tentatively raising her head she turned, looking out the window once again.

Silently she agreed with her mother. Crown Resort was beautiful, wide open valley dotted with vegetation and old growth forest, the ionic Mt Fuji dominating the skyline along the horizon. Below was a crystal blue lake and Serena could just make out small black dots of what looked like people playing in the clear water.

It was beautiful though they should have named it 'you'll have to drive so far it's practically off the map resort'. That kinda that didn't have the same ring to it.

Serena sighed. _Well, at least I'm going to spend the next fourteen days bored to death in beautiful surroundings._

"Oh look Kenji, there's Lake Yamanaka." Irene enthusiastically pointed out, leaning her arm over to the driver side window. "And over there…Oooh, looks like a new addition, it's called The Crystal Palace…"

Thought they could only look at it fleetly as they drove past, from little they did see the outside the small building known as Crystal Place was hardly impressive and big letdown. The owners clearly had gotten their idea for the place by watching at spaghetti westerns movies. The old drab timber style of the building was iconic enough, with big hand painted lettering on the outside, single railing balcony and even wooden style hitching posts for those who still travelled by horse in 2013.

"I've heard about that place, it's an American style Western Saloon."

_American!?_ Serena groaned once again, rubbing her still tender stomach. She had more than enough American for one day.

"Why would they build that there?" Kenji asked, gently removing his wife's arm from further obscuring the road.

"I think they are going for the whole East meets West type idea." She explained with a loving smile. "They have this mechanical bull and a huge dance floor where you can learn line dancing, while they play classic country and western music."

"Country and western!" Jed exclaimed making a loud gagging noise; surprisingly having heard the whole conversation with his ears being bombarded with loud techno music.

"Don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart... I just don't think he'd understand." Serena twanged in a nasal voice, patronizing the song, chuckling as her brother joined in. Mimicking her tune with his air guitar and really putting it on.

"…And if you tell my heart, my achy breaky heart. He might blow up and kill this man…Ooo."

"You kids simply have no appreciation for good music." Kenji interrupted his children's bad singing chorus.

"Hey, if country and western was good music we'd appreciate it, right, Serena." Jed grinned eyeing his little sister.

Serena grinned in response. "Right…Besides who wants to listen to a bunch of people singing through their noses about truck stops and lost love."

"Well, at least you can understand the words to country songs. The stuff that you kids call 'music' no one will remember in the next twenty years."

"Back in my day we listened to good old fashioned music." Jed countered waggling his finger, putting on a wheezy old man's voice that made Serena giggle. "It really got the heart pumping and the blood flowing."

"Careful old man, you don't want to strain that old ticker of yours." Serena responded in good humor giving him a small nudge.

"Huh, what was that...?" He asked leaning in close, pretending to have difficulty hearing "Speak up girl."

Serena couldn't help but smile. "You're an idiot."

Jed returned to his regular speaking voice, grinning and bowing ridiculously. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be performing for your entertainment all week."

Kenji sighed in defeat as the two teenagers stared at each other before breaking into fits of laughter in the back seat.

When the two had finally calmed down Serena came to realize something. "Wait a minute, if it's a bar it doesn't matter what songs they play. Both Jed and I are too young to go in anyway."

"Yes…too…young." Jed quietly agreed with little gusto; his eyes giving the game away like had suddenly been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, looking back and forth nervously around the car.

Irene shook her head in disagreement. "It's not really a bar, from what I have heard. It's more of a hangout for all the tourists in the area. Kids of all ages are welcome inside."

After another long silence they finally reached their destination. Kenji pulled to a halt in front of a small building that looked like a log cabin letting his family out of the car.

"Land!" Jed cried with elation as he overdramatically fell from the car, kissing the white gravel driveway.

Serena rolled her eyes grabbing her brother by his sleeve. "Oh, get up you drama queen."

Kenji breathed in deep, puffing out his chest while rubbing his hand up and down his Hawaiian patterned shirt, with matching shorts he looked like a stereotypical tourist. "Ahhh…smell that beautiful mountain air."

"Smells like regular air to me." Serena grumbled petulantly under her breath, still not happy about her new holiday destination.

Irene overheard the grumble of discontent as she exited from the passenger side door, making trying not to crinkle her bright yellow sundress. "Oh Serena, will you stop it; we're here now, so you might as well learn to enjoy yourself."

"We'll here it is—home for the next two weeks." Kenji proudly stated, placing his hands on his hips. Looking through the large windows, with desks, computers and office supplies the log building in front of them was clearly a staff building, with a big sign that said the words 'Office' in case of any confusion.

"Where are the cabins?' Serena inquisitively asked, with a puzzled expression. Unable to see anything except open plane and low lying vegetation on one side, and old growth forests on the other.

"They're all spread out in the woods." Irene explained, trying to keep her large peach colored sunhat on her head and stop it from blowing away in the wind. "The forest thins out further down the road. That's where you'll find the stables…"

"Stables!?_"_ She practically squealed in surprise. "You mean there are horses I can ride? You never said anything about that before we left."

For as long as Serena could remember, she always wanted to take riding lessons, but could never afford them. _Here was my chance to finally learn how to ride_. She thought. For the first time feeling excited about the vacation that continued to grow more and more by the minute.

"I didn't?" Irene laughed and smiled at her daughter. "I guess it must have slipped my mind. They also have walking trails, hot springs, an amusement park-"

"Amusement park!?" Jed and Serena exclaimed simultaneously in astonishment. "Yay!" Taking each other hands they jumped up and down excitedly, eyes wide like a kid in a candy store. Instantly Serena forgot all about Nii-jima. Who wanted to windsurf when you could horse ride and go on Ferris wheels and roller coasters?

Irene smiled, shaking her head ruefully at the silly antics of her children.

"I'll go check us in and get the keys to our cabin." Kenji said locking the car door. He looked back at Serena and Jed. "Any of you kids want to come in with me? If I remember right, they have some taxidermy on the walls in the office."

"Sure." Jed agreed as he walked off, joining Kenji as they entered the small office building.

"Is there anything else you forgot to mention? Serena asked brushing the gravel dust from her white sandals, though she didn't think her heart could take the shock of anymore good news.

Irene thought about it for a moment. "Did I tell you they rent rowboats? Your dad and I have rented on for the whole fortnight. He's hoping to get out on the lake and catch a Ayu."

She nodded, not the least bit interested in that piece of news. To Serena fishing was the most boring sport in the world. She once saw a sign that read; fishing is a sucker on one end waiting for a sucker on the other. That saying pretty well summed up her feelings about fishing.

"They also have paddleboats you can rent." Irene added as an afterthought

"Paddleboats?" Serena looked at her curiously. "What's a paddleboat?"

"You know silly, those little boats where you sit in a chair and there are bicycle pedals you push to move the boat through the water." She explained.

Serena smiled. "That sounds cool."

_Maybe this vacation won't be so bad after all._ She thought to herself. _With horseback riding, hot springs, an amusement park and paddleboats at least I'll have something to do for the next two weeks, without going completely insane. It's a shame that I'll only have my brother to do things with. He's cool and all, but it would have been nicer to do all these things with a boyfriend. Somehow I think things may have been more interesting that way._

"We're all checked in." Dad said unlocking the car door, sliding in behind the steering wheel as his family got back into the vehicle. "We're in cabin eight, which is down near the stables." He finished his sentence with a chuckle. "Hmmm…lucky number, hey kids?"

"You should have seen all the junk in the office, Serena." Jed's grin beamed wide across his face while moving his arms about, exaggerating his so called grand adventure. "They have all these stuffed animals and animal heads mounted on plaque on the wall."

"Sounds really fascinating." She deadpanned not the slightly bit interested.

"Oh and there was this huge bear too." Jed's eyes flew wide, as he waved his hands apart as if sizing the animal before her.

"Bear!?" Serena exclaimed in alarm, feeling all the colour drain from her face. "Dad, there are no bears near here, are there?"

"Oh, not too many." He answered nonchalantly.

"Not too many!" She squeaked, feeling her heart beginning to race. "One is enough."

Then she saw the twinkle of humor in his eyes in the rearview mirror, her mouth fell open in shock. "You're teasing me, aren't you?"

"They're smarter than the av-er-age bear; they'll come along and swipe our pic-a-nic baskets." Jed teased her, joining in with his father's game.

"Oh…shush you!" Serena retorted giving her brother a push, feeling a little embarrassed that her family were making fun of her.

Kenji chuckled, shaking his head ruefully. "Serena, you don't have to worry about bears. There are very few bears living here."

"The only wild animal you'll have to worry about is your brother if he isn't feed three meals a day." Irene added with her own good humor,

"Grrr." Jed added with a ferocious look, sounding like a bear of his own, making everyone in the car laugh

"Let find our cabin." Kenji said, bringing everyone back on course again, Turning the car down a small dirt road, not much wider than a footpath. The path was surrounded by thick old growth trees, until a small break opened up in the forest; reveling a small unremarkable rustic-looking cabin that was half hidden by trees.

"There are the stables!" Serena squealed in delight quickly climbing over to her brother's side of the car, leaning her body over the top of him, squishing her face up against the glass. She was delighted noticing how close their cabin was to the low, flat building that housed the horses.

"And Lake Yamanaka." Jed added, harshly pushing his sister's long blonde hair out of his face, drawing a disgruntled look from her. Following his gesture she noticed on to the other side of the cabin, just visible through the trees they could make the edge of the crystal blue surface, and a pretty old looking jetty that could double as a sun deck, jutting out from the side; the calm water lapping at its wooden supports. Serena was almost beside herself trying to contain her excitement, unbelieving that everything was so close to their cabin.

"Well, let's get the car unloaded." Irene suggested with little excitement in her voice as Kenji pulled the car up onto the small dirt driveway, bringing the car as close to the cabin as he could get it. This is the part they all dreaded, heaving heavy boxes and suitcases almost a hundred meters up to the cabin door.

"This is the worst part about going on vacation..." Serena grumbled as Kenji handed her a packed cardboard box from the trunk of the car into her waiting arms. "And has anyone seen Luna?"

A soft purring noise from inside the box had Serena puzzled. Holding it with one arm she used her free hand to pry the box open, finding a very content looking black cat inside.

"Hey Luna." She cooed. "What are you doing in there? Did you fall asleep in the box? Who's a silly kitty?"

Luna purred again as Serena gave her chin a scratch with her finger.

Kenji laughed good-naturedly. "If we all pitch in, we'll be unloaded in no time at all." He stated handing two suitcases to Jed and another box to Irene. "And once we're unloaded we can start having fun!"

"Woo hoo." Jed deadpanned, heaving two heavy suitcases up to the front door.

"Oh my, I never realised just how much stuff we actually brought." Irene stated, struggling with her own heavy box

"I feel like a pack mule." Serena complained, using her knee to adjust her grip on the heavy box in her hands. What was in here, bricks!?

Jed grinned. "You look like one too."

"Oh hardy har har."

Halfway to the house Serena had to stop and sit the box on the ground. Luna watched curiously the small blonde rubbing her sore hands together. "I'm not cut out for this Luna." She whined pathetically. "It's too heavy, and it's too far, and it's too boring and it's-"

A loud snort and a whinny drew the attention of the moody teenager to an open area of forest on one side of the cabin.

"Huh?" She asked herself, abandoning the box she leaned against the cabin peering around to the other side.

Staring into the open clearing, she gasped, completely unbelieving to what she saw. At the edge of the forest was a guy on a horse.

The stallion was pure black, and his sleek coat gleamed and shimmered in the midday sun; his mane was unrestrained moving like rippling water every time the beast moved in the slightest. He was well muscled, eyes held great spirit and much life as he panted slightly. The animal was in his prime and a sight to behold.

Though the horse was impressive it was its owner that truly had Serena's full attention. This was no ordinary guy—he was straight from one of her many daydreams and fantasies. Her rose wielding super hunk was right here at Crown Resort.

He didn't see her; instead the young man seemed to be looking beyond her and towards the stables. Serena stared at him; he was truly gorgeous. Her heart hammered away so loudly in her chest, knees shaking like jelly she had to grip the side of the building for support. Her palms sweated profusely, making her grip slippery as she continued to watch him with awe.

"Oh, what a hunky guy." She breathed wistfully.

It was hard to tell how tall he was, since he was on the back of a horse. Serena was able to see the broadness of his pectoral musclesthough his slightly unbuttoned shirt; faded blue jeans and black riding boots completed his assumable. The sunlight danced on his thick, dark ebony hair that crowned his handsome face in a wild crown, while also emphasizing his modest tan.

He sat on the stallion with such ease that Serena instantly envied. He looked like he belonged on the back of a horse.

Her heart pounded so hard she feared it would burst from her body as he suddenly turned his attention her way; and for a split moment their eyes met. Even from such distance she was certain she could see the brilliant midnight blue in his eyes, masculine facial features with his chiselled cheekbones, strong jaw line and pointed chin.

She watched wordlessly as he suddenly tugged at the reins of the horse. The horse reared up onto his hind legs and took off into the forest, disappearing from her sight.

For a moment she just stood there in shock, wondering if maybe she had imagined the whole thing. No, she knew she didn't. Her dream guy on the horse was real, and she thought to herself he just might be the ticket to salvaging her vacation.


	3. Chapter 3

*****oOo*****

**Chapter Three**

"I think I've got something!" Irene exclaimed excitedly, the tip of her fishing pole bending widely over the side of the rowboat, the line whirring furiously as the catch on the other end wrangled with the bait and hook.

"Quick, give it some slack, then real it in!" Kenji yelled eagerly, wishing the fish was on his pole instead of his wife's.

"Give it some, what!?" She squealed as the pole suddenly jerked in her hand. "Oh, drat…I think I lost it." Her grin disappeared as her fishing line went slack.

"We've been out here for two hours and the most exciting thing that's happened so far is that Mom just lost a fish." Serena commented ruefully, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

Kenji smiled, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll admit, the fishing has been a little slow this morning."

"I told you when you got us all up at five o'clock this morning that all the fish would still be asleep." Serena replied with a sigh, wishing that she was anyplace but in the middle of the lake.

"Look at it this way." Jed lazily remarked with a loud yawn. "If we don't catch any fish, at least we've gotten plenty of sun."

"Hmmm…" She mumbled, not totally convinced. Jed could be a little too optimistic at times. Though she hadn't been exactly thrilled when her step-father had burst into her room, looking absolutely ridiculous, wearing a three-quarter-length olive green padded jacket, waterproof bib 'n' brace overalls, black wading boots and a floppy fisherman's hat; eagerly waking his children up before dawn for some fishing.

Normally she didn't mind family activities and togetherness, but she definitely didn't like being cramped in a tiny rowboat.

As Irene, Kenji and Jed settled down to wait for the fish, Serena found herself scanning the shoreline, hoping to catch a glimpse of the handsome young man she had seen the day before, when she had first arrived. She hadn't told anyone else about him, content to keep it as her own little secret for now.

_I wonder if I'll see him today._ She blissfully asked herself as she tuned out of the conversations around her, leaning against the back of the boat, resting her head on the side she closed her eyes and began to dream.

_The warm, grainy sand felt good between her toes, the small sea breeze ruffling the edges of her cute peach sundress, the one she had borrowed from Molly, around her thighs. The sun had dipped below the yellow-orange sky, slowly marking the end of another day; but the fading light still illuminated several clouds in the sky, outlining them with a silver-gold. The vibrant yet soothing streaks of colours filled the canvas of the sky._

_Suddenly in the distance she heard the sound of galloping horse hooves, like distant thunder. Slowly turning around and coming straight towards her was the same dark haired hottie on horseback…_

"I think I've got another one!" Irene excited yell once again disturbed her beautiful fantasy. With an irritated groan Serena jammed her fingers tightly into her ears, squeezing her eyes shut, willing her dream guy to come back.

_It was dramatic, like a scene from a movie. For a moment it felt as if time itself had completely slowed down as the horse continued to gallop towards her. Its powerful legs beating hard against the soft sand, hooves casting up the delicate particles into the wind._

_Serena couldn't help but stare as the rider slowly came into view. Part of his unbuttoned black shirt flowed out behind him in the wind, like a dark cape, wearing his iconic faded blue jeans and black riding boots; though this time he didn't tease her with just a glimpse of what she saw in the day before, leaving his shirt completely unbuttoned revealed his perfectly toned muscles and abs to her lustful gaze._

_"I saw you from further along this shore line and I just had to come over and simply see who this…absolutely stunning girl was." He spoke as he stopped the steed in front of her. His voice was so sexy, deep, seductive and just simply perfect._

_Serena felt the heat rising in her face and body; if she stood in silence next to him any longer she would simply self-combust and melt into a puddle on the sandy floor, washing away with the tide._

_"My name is Serena, Serena Tsukino." She finally answered; her words tumbling out of her mouth just as fast as her heart was pounding in her chest._

_"Serena…" He breathed, her name sounding so wonderful when it flowed from his lips. "A beautiful name…for a beautiful face."_

_His smile made her heart feel like it should stopped beating, like an ice sculpture that would splinter into millions of pieces if it ever beat again. As his eyes locked more deeply into hers his grin grew bigger; straight pearly white teeth sparkled in the fading sunlight like diamonds._

_It was moments like this when she almost forgot how to breathe. He had given her a free and contagious gift, the muscles in his cheeks tightened slightly and cute dimples formed to show enjoyment in the simple pleasure of the moment, bringing a sparkle of vigor to his midnight eyes._

_"I believe it was destiny that we should meet like this."_

_"Tell me… who are you?" She softly asked, so he would have to lean in closer to hear her._

_"My name is…" His smiled faded into a worried frown. "Umm…is…?"_

Her eyes flew open in alarm taking a momentary pause from her daydream. Kami! She needed a name for him. But what kind of name should she give!?

Quickly she scanned the scenery all around her trying to find something to inspire a name from. The trunk of a nearby tree along the bank of the lake quickly drew her gaze…

Ash? Woody? Chip? No, that's silly. Bark? Isn't that the sound a dog makes…?

Turning her attention to the water beneath her and the reflection of the sky in the clear surface, Sky, Storm, Cloud? They were all no good. Nature was not providing her with much selection of names.

Ok, what about names she like the sound of: Alan, Seiya, Dimande? No, that didn't suit him at all.

She would just have to wing it, quickly closing her eyes she transported back into the realm of her dream guy once again.

_He was growing impatient, folding his arms across his broad chest, fingers strumming along the thick muscles of his arm. "So?" He asked incredulously. "Have you thought of a name?"_

_"Sure." She anxiously laughed, fighting against the urge to bite her fingernails, mentally pleading that he wouldn't suddenly get bored with her and just simply leave. "Your name is…" She was stalling for time, still racking her brain trying to think of a suitable name, but nothing sounded right, nothing seemed to suit him._

_What seemed like an eternity of awkward silence, and strange looks she finally blurted out "Andrew! Your name is Andrew."_

_He seemed to relax upon hearing a suitable name, unfolding his arms and smiling at her once again. "Of course, forgive me. My name is Andrew." He tells her like she was hearing it for the first time._

_Before Serena could say anymore, Andrew looked down so intensely at her holding out his hand in invitation._

_"…And you are the girl I have been waiting for all my life."_

_Serena couldn't help the soft sigh of contentment that escaped her lips; that was so beautiful, she had never heard anyone say anything so heartfelt about her before._

_She placed her hand in his, thrilled for with one powerful movement he easily swept her up onto the horse with him. Sitting her comfortably on the leather saddle in front of him, his strong arms enfolded her, holding her so protectively like she had imagined in her earlier daydreams._

_"I never want to let you go." He breathed lustfully into her ear, pulling her body gently back against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder_

_Oh kami she didn't think her heart could take anymore, could he get any more perfect?_

_Looking up at him she noticed his handsome face descending slowly upon hers; his intention was clear, and she had no desire to stop him. She held her breath in anticipation, her cheeks flushing a deep pink; his dark gaze_ _focusing so intensely on the curves and fullness of her lips._

_Just when his lips were about to touch hers she heard a loud cry of elation; once more crushing her beautiful dream back into the dark land of oblivion._

"Woo Hoo! I finally caught one!"

Slowly she opened one eye as her father gave a triumphant yell and reeled in a nice-sized Ayu. Around him there was a lot of congratulatory back patting and applause.

Serena didn't care; once again the crazy antics of her parents had spoiled her romantic endeavor.

_Oh great._ She thought dismally as her father proudly showed of his 'grand' catch to the rest of the family, quickly realizing that the catch meant he was now on a hot streak and their little fishing trip would be another couple of hours at best.

A long exasperated sigh, knowing full well her dream was gone forever, she looked over the side of the boat; awed at just how clear the water really was. Her mother explained that the lake and four other dotted around the mountain were formed from lava flows during an ancient eruption. The water was like a mirror, beautifully reflecting the cloudless blue sky and the sleeping giant of Mt Fuji in its crystalline surface.

She leaned over the side of the boat to get a better view of herself. _Would Andrew really find me attractive?_ She mentally asked herself. _Eyes are a nice shade of blue, though they are a little too big to be perfect, heart shaped face is pleasant, pretty smile, hair is nice too, I think, though-_

She suddenly gasped in horror noticing a mark on her face; tightening her grip on the rim she leaned over the boat for a closer look.

_It can't be! _She thought in alarm_. Is that a pimple!?_

The ugly red blemish on the underside of her chin glared back at her in the reflection of the water. Appalled she turned her head to the side for a better look, knowing she had just made a major mistake. The boat rocked precariously and she felt herself about to topple headfirst over the side

Before she even had chance to scream she felt a hand grab her by the collar of her green t-shirt, as if she was a little puppy, and yanked her harshly back into the boat, sitting her down on the wooden seat.

"Serena, it's easier to catch fish with a pole than trying to catch them with your teeth." Jed said laughing.

She smiled at him gratefully, not even caring that he was teasing her as usual.

"I thought maybe you were so desperate to get of the boat, you were planning on swimming to shore." Kenji chuckled. "But I'm sure if we stay out here just a little while longer we'll have enough fish for dinner."

Serena groaned inwardly at his words and leaned back, this time keeping a safe distance from the edge, before closing her eyes once again.

"Oh Andrew…where are you?" She quietly asked herself, at least she could daydream to help pass the time. Maybe this time she could dream that she was a Princess trapped in a tower and he, the handsome, dashing Prince charging in on his valiant steed to rescue her.

A goofy half smile pulled on the corner of her lips, living in the fictitious world of her own mind.

She didn't noticing that Jed had overheard her breathless sorrow and was now silently watching her with a troubled expression.

* * *

**The Next Day**

Serena awoke early in the next morning, which was a very strange behavior for her. Usually her mother would have to drag her out of bed by her feet just so she could get up on time for school. But not today; perhaps it was the fresh mountain air, or simply she was just full of beans, either way Luna was shocked into awed silence, watching the blonde from the foot of the bed, dress in record time. Choosing a comfortable pale blue tank top with a low neckline, a short white skirt that hugged her waist, extenuating her long thin legs, with familiar white colored sandals on her feet before she enter the lounge area where Jed was still asleep in his boxer shorts on the foldout couch.

He had been relocated the sofa after losing a classic rock, paper, scissors match with her for the rights to the only other bed in the small lodge, that was not being used by her parents.

Serena shook her sleeping brother's shoulders lightly. "Jed… wake up!" She softy ordered, shaking him harder when he didn't respond.

He pulled the lightweight sheet up over his head, with a disgruntled groan he stopped snoring for a moment but didn't wake up.

"Jed!" She whispered louder, giving him a nudge before lifting up the corner of the sheet to find on pale blue eyes cracked open and looking at her un-amusingly.

"Do you want to come exploring with me?" She asked with a bright smile

"What time is it?' He croaked closing his eye again, eager to reclaim his lost sleep.

"Eight o'clock – time to rise and shine!" She called in cheerful sing song.

Jed sat up and looked at her in disbelief. "You woke me up at eight o'clock in the morning, while I am on vacation! Wait a minute, why the hell are you up so early? You never get up this early. Unless…"

Uh-oh, that gleam she knew so well sprang back into his eye. "You want to go find Andrew don't you?"

Serena gasped as she stepped away from the sofa. "How do you know about that!?"

"Ah-ha! So it's true..." He smiled victorious, holding his white pillow tightly in his hands. "There really is an Andrew. Thought you were making him up, with all the mumbling and kissing noises you were making in your sleep."

"Shut up!" She snapped, feeling the heat and colour quickly rush into to her face. "There is no Andrew…and even if there was, I wouldn't tell you about him."

Jed cocked up an eyebrow "Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah, that so!" Serena smugly replied

His eyes twinkled with mischievous intent. "Do you know what happens to girls who wake up their older brothers, then keep secrets from them?"

"No." She giggled, continuing to back away from him "…what?"

"This!" Jed yelled, springing up from the couch he quickly advanced towards her with his pillow held high over his head.

"Jed…don't…I'm warning you." She tried to sound stern, but was laughing despite herself. "You'll wake up Mom and Dad."

"Mom and Dad left hours ago to go out on that smelly boat." Jed answered with a wicked grin. "And that leaves you totally at my mercy!" He started to chase her, swinging and swatting with his pillow.

Serena screamed as she ran; then laughed wildly as Jed tripped over the leg of the table and went sprawling onto the floor, landing with a loud thump.

"See, you've been punished for trying to be mean to your poor little sister." She gasped breathlessly, leaning against the doorway as he picked himself up off the floor, rubbing his reddened knee with a resentful grunt

"So, are you going to tell me who Andrew is?" He asked

Serena sighed in dismay, not able to look him in the eyes. "I don't really know who he is either. See, when we first arrived I saw this really cute guy on horseback, and he saw me, at least I think I did."

"How do you know his name is Andrew?" He quirked an eyebrow in mild interest.

"I don't." She whimpered, her lower lip trembling. "It's just a name that I made up for him. I have no idea what his name really is."

"He probably doesn't even know I even exist. Waaah!" She totally broke down, falling to her knees as she released a mighty wail that only an overly dramatic fourteen year old girl could accomplish.

"Sheesh Serena, calm down!" Jed pleaded, waving his hands to calm her down.

"Nobody loves me!" She continued pathetically.

"Will you stop crying…Just go and find him already." Jed relented, swearing he could feel blood from a popped eardrum oozing out of his left ear.

"Do you want to come with me?" Serena stood, her mood instantly swing from the edge of hysterical crying to upbeat and utter content in seconds.

"Umm…no. No, I'll just tend to my wounds then get some breakfast." He replied, twisting a finger in his sore ear. Certain that the high octave wails of his sister had damaged his ear somehow.

"Okay, I'll be back later." She laughed, heading out for the door. "Promise me you won't tell Mom and Dad about him, you know how overprotective Dad can be."

"Tell them about who?" Jed replied with a cheeky grin

Serena smile gratefully. "Thanks."

"Have fun. Oh, and watch out for bears." He warned playfully.

Serena poked her tongue out at him then set off, eager to explore the place where she was going to be spending the next thirteen days of her life.

Oh who was she kidding, the sole reason for her little adventure was to go and find Andrew.

She could only hope that her brother would keep his promise. Her father was an old-fashioned type of man; he believed his daughter should only date boys that he approved of first, as potential husband material.

But there was no reason he wouldn't like Andrew, was there? Then again she knew nothing about him either. What if he ran with a bad crowd, had a criminal history, or was evil in anyway?

She smiled, shaking her head at her ridiculous thought. "Nah, he's way too hot to be evil."

She decided to start her search at the side of the cabin where she had first seen him, it was an extreme long shot that he would appear there. After a good ten minutes of wishful staring at the open clearing it was clear she wouldn't find him here. Her eye was drawn to a well-worn path that led through the old growth forest that she had not seen the day before.

With no other leads and a spring in her step she decided to follow it. She could handle something as simple as a dirt path with no problems…Right?

Stepping onto the loose soil her ankle twisted, feet skid out from underneath her and she landed hard on her backside with a loud thump.

"Owie." She sniffled, rubbing her sore derriere. Thankful that no one had seen her fall so clumsily, except a small nutcracker bird sitting on a low branch; the bird surely would have laughed at her if it knew how.

How embarrassing would that have been if Andrew had seen her. He would never be interested in someone so clumsy, sitting there sobbing like a big baby.

Slowly rising to her feet she continued onward, a bit more mindful and tentative in her step then she was before.

Clumsy and accident prone were two words that described Serena reasonably well. It wasn't her fault; at least she tried hard not to make it entirely her fault. It was just poor misfortune that at inappropriate times she was falling over, tripping up or bumping into people. Her brother had teased her saying it was because of her meatball hair she was too top heavy and that's why she kept falling over.

Whatever the reason, her clumsy curse had been with her for as long as she could remember and she wished that one day soon it would just go away and never come back.

"Okay, if I was a super-hot guy where would I go?" She said aloud as she came to a folk in the path. After much careful deliberation she decided to go left, simply because she was left handed.

She often made decisions like that, based on seemingly inconsequential stuff, such as it was prettier looking that way, or it smelt like hot cinnamon buns in that direction, or just simply cause the other way looked too difficult.

It drove a lot of people crazy to be so flippant with decision making, but Molly understood her perfectly. She had made some weird decisions that way too. In one year of junior high she decided to take French classes because she needed a subject that started F, after working her way through subjects beginning with the other letters of the Alphabet. She would have taken football if that was the only subject that began with F.

"Wow, I have only been gone a day and I already miss Molly." She spoke out loud to keep herself company on her lonely walk, sidestepping around a tree root sticking out the ground. "I wish she was here so I'd have someone to talk to."

The sun rose higher and Serna struggled onwards. How long had she walked? It felt like an eternity. Painfully and overdramatically she crawled on her hands and knees, she struggled to move, her throat, dry and parched, cried out for precious water.

Collapsing on the ground, thinking this was the end, she pulled out her cell phone out of her skirt pocket to check the time. "What!?" She gasped in horror rising to her feet, staring unbelieving at the tiny screen. It had only been half an hour since she had left the cabin. It felt so much longer than that.

Turning around squinting in the distance she could still see her cabin in the distance as a faint black dot on the horizon.

She had barely walked any distance at all. She was never going to find him now. She felt completely defeated and disillusioned. Sitting down on a small tree stump she willed herself not to cry.

Fed-up and ready to give up until a wild thought flashed across her mind. _Wait a minute, he was on a horse. Where else would you take a horse…except to the stables. Duh!_

Face palming herself she felt so foolish, the answer was so obvious; the stables—she should have gone to the stables first.

With renewed vigor she quickly turned around, trying to follow the path the way she came. She frowned as she approached a small clear stream, gurgling past her feet.

_I hadn't come this way_. She thought, completely bewildered to her foreign surroundings. Around her was a curtain of trees, and each tree looked exactly the same as the last. She didn't know how she had gotten lost, or how she had gotten off the path she had been on, but somehow she obviously had because nothing looked remotely familiar.

"Ok, ok, don't panic." She told herself calmly, trying to control her fearful heart.

Crossing over the stream and following the path onwards, certain that eventually she would come out somewhere near the cabin.

Her legs ached, her sore muscles cried out for rest as she trudged onwards. She breathed a sigh of relief coming across a small stream in the road once again, something that at least looked familiar.

Wait! This was the same stream that she had come across before. She had somehow managed to walk around in huge circle, coming back to the same spot she had first gotten lost.

Feeling panic rising up in her throat, she started to walk faster. The tall trees packed so close together and the overgrowth so thick and dense with minimal sunlight that penetrated through created strange shadows all around her. Shadows that made her think of horrible things that go bump in the night.

She felt so isolated and alone, never had she been gone for so long. Away from her loved ones. She remembered reading lots of newspaper articles about people getting lost and never being seen or heard from again.

No, her family would miss her, they would come and look for her. Ok Jed may be reluctant at first but even he would miss her after a while.

But what if they never found her? Was this now her fate, was she doomed to be trapped in this forest for the remainder of her life? Scrounging out some primitive existence never seeing civilization again. Never seeing Andrew again?

"I'm going to be lost in this forest forever!" She wailed at the top of her lungs. "I'm too young and pretty to die! I've never even had my first kiss, never been in love! Waaah!"

The sudden sound of a twig snapping underfoot had her running through the forests in terror, though undergrowth and branches, scratching her face and arms. Wild thoughts raced in her mind, her heart ready to burst from her chest at the thought of suddenly running into dangerous wild animals, possibly even a bear!

She sobbed and sighed in relief, seeing a break in the woods ahead. Her eyes focused on the rays of sunshine coming through the opening the in dense brush as she ran towards it. As she plunged through the hold in the brush, she felt her foot catch of something.

_A bear!_ She thought wildly. _A bear's got me, this is it I'm going to die!_ With a scream she tumbled, turning a complete somersault before landing on the soft ground, her nose pressed against the sweet-smelling earth.

"Who's that?" She heard a muffled voice speaking from somewhere above her.

"I don't know I've never seen her before." Another voice replied. "Hey kid, are you alright?"

Slowly rolling over onto her back her eyes widened in surprise. Standing over her where four people, teenagers, around about her age too.

"That's my step-sister." A familiar voice spoke.

Serena sat up and took a deep breath, spotting Jed standing nearby with a huge smirk on his face, looking way more presentable than she had seen him earlier in the day. Dressed casually in a pair of jeans and white t-shirt with accenting wide blue stripe along his broad chest.

_What a creep._ She thought, glaring at him irritably. While she was scared half to death, facing 'bears' in the woods, he was hanging out with a bunch of teenagers.

Wait, who are they? Where had they come from? And how had Jed found them without her?

Her face flushed hot as she quickly realized what a complete idiot she had just made out of herself, bursting through the trees, screaming as if an axe wielding maniac was chasing after her.

Thank goodness Andrew wasn't amongst them and had seen her act so foolishly, twice in one day.

"Let me guess..." A tall girl with dark brown hair and eyes smiled at her. She wore a pair of dark jeans, with black spaghetti tank top underneath a dark green cotton tunic, which hung off one shoulder. With her strong, study frame she was clearly someone Serena didn't want to get on the wrong side of.

"You thought you'd do a little exploring and you got hopelessly lost." She chuckled offering a hand to help her up. "Hi, I'm Lita by the way."

Serena smiled and gladly took the offer of friendship, allowing the girl to easily help her up from the ground.

"Serena." She replied

Lita continued to smile as a young man approached by her side. "Oh, this is my boyfriend Nathan."

Nathan smiled, offering his hand in friendly gesture. "Hi, it's nice to meet you Serena."

"Thanks." Serena blushed, shaking his hand in response, he was pretty cute. Like Lita, he was tall, similar height and hair, long and wavy. Dark blue eyes, with a distinct pointed chin, handsome facial features but his voice was strong and deep, making him sound older and more mature; it kept Serena guessing as to the identity of his true age.

Wearing a simple purple t-shirt did it wonders for his physique, showing his very broad shoulders and well-toned muscles of his chest, completing the assumable with dark colored jeans and black shoes. She couldn't help but wonder if her friend Molly would have like him, she seemed to have a thing for older guys.

"So, Serena..." The ebony haired girl frowned at her, like a disapproving mother hen. "You really know how to make an entrance, don't you?"

She stood next to her wearing a short red mini dress look that with her slender well curved body looked amazing. Her long ebony hair trailing freely down her back, dark violent eyes locked in a stern gaze; her scowl spoiled her, twisting the normally pretty features of face, with her hands firmly planted on her hips.

Serena couldn't tell by her tone or expression if that was some lame attempt at a joke or not.

Lita laughed. "Cool it Raye. She's new here."

Raye grumbled bitterly, but said nothing more.

"Welcome to Crown Resort." Lita beamed, slapping Serena with a friendly hand on the back. The force nearly sending the poor blonde back into the dirt once again.

"I think you'll fit in just fine around here."

Serena grinned at Lita, wondering if she knew just how panicky she had really felt, lost in the woods.

Her grin widened even more as she looked around at the rest of the group. It was great to finally hang out with a bunch of guys and girls around about her age.

And who knows maybe they'll even know where she could find Andrew...


	4. Chapter 4

*****oOo*****

**Chapter Four**

"So, this your first time at Crown Resort huh?" Raye enquired as they all walked along a narrow dirt path skirting around the woods Serena had recently 'lost' herself in. The ebony long hair girl carried herself with a strong aristocratic air. Her short red mini dress fluttering in the hot wind, gusting off the shimmering lake.

Lita and Nathan walked ahead of the group, whispering amongst themselves like a couple in love. While Jed was content to walk on one side of Raye with Serena on the other. Her brother, always the life of the party, was chatting amiably with the raven haired girl opposite. With his hands thrust deeply into his jean pockets, his white t-shirt with the light blue accenting stripe down the middle now lost to endless wave of wrinkles from his slouching. With the happy go lucky, golden blonde Odango taking up the end. The wind playing with her long tails and her white skirt, her light blue top fluttering lightly.

Serena wasn't sure where they were going or why, but she wasn't about to lose the opportunity to talk to teenagers instead of her parents all the time.

"Yeah." She replied with a friendly smile, wishing that Raye would at least try and smile in return. Her scowl seemed like a permanent fixture to her face. It made Serena feel uncomfortable talking to her, like she was being constantly judged for something she hadn't even done.

"I wasn't too excited about coming here…" She admitted truthfully and then hurriedly added. "But now that I see there are other people here under the age of forty it may actually be fun."

She laughed, but it soon faded away when Raye clearly didn't understand the humor of the joke.

"…This place is ok, I guess." Raye casually added after a long moment.

"You should have heard Serena carrying on about coming here, she was all _Why_!? And I don't _Wanna_!" Jed said and Serena's mouth nearly hit the ground in surprise, to see him give Raye a goofy smile.

She knew that look; he had given it to dozens of girls in the past whenever he was openly flirting with one of them.

Serena looked at Raye with amazement that she actually smiled in return. She was hardly given the time of day but with Jed she was blushing and giggling as he whispered something in her ear. By the way she smiled and blushed with embarrassment at her it was clear Jed was relating of on one of the many clumsy moments curtsey of his younger step-sister.

_Great._ She thought dismally. _I have only known her for like ten minutes and already Jed is giving her my life story so he can score points with her. What a jerk._

"So, where are you from?" Serena asked, desperate to get the conversation off her and back on track

Raye turned and addressed her answer to Jed, like Serena wasn't even there at all. "I live with my grandfather and help him maintain the temple grounds. But during summer I come here with the rest of the gang."

"Sounds great." Jed added, grinning from ear to ear that made Serena want to roll her eyes in disdain. "We live in Azabu-Juban, just outside Tokyo."

"Really? My grandfather's temple is not far from there." Raye added happily.

"Cool. I'll have to drop in sometime and say hello." Jed responded.

Raye blushed, tucking a strand of ebony hair behind her ear, staring at him through her long eyelashes. "...I'd like that."

"So!" Serena interjected loudly, tired of being ignored. "How old are you, Raye?"

Jed looked at her distastefully at her brash outburst. "You don't have to yell, Serena. We're standing right here."

Serena balled her fists by her side, she was seething. "I can see that." She replied through clenched teeth.

"To answer your question, Serena," Raye replied with an air of smugness about her. "I'm fourteen." She pointed out to Lita and Nathan strolling ahead hand in hand. "Lita is fourteen also, Nathan is seventeen."

"I'm seventeen too." Jed proudly replied like it was the greatest thing in the world and Raye smiled again.

Serena couldn't take much more of this. Their sappy doe eyed expressions were driving her around the bend. "Is there just the three of you guys?"

"No, there is also Amy, Zac, Mina and Michael. But they decided to stay behind while Lita, Nathan and I went for a walk." Raye offered mildly.

"That's when they bumped into me." Jeff added smugly with a cocky look directed at Raye. "…then Serena. Who ran out of the woods screaming like a banshee." He added, throwing salt on her humiliation wounds.

"Shut up!" Serena snapped, the tips of her ears burning red in embarrassment.

"What's going on back there?" Lita asked looking over her shoulder, hearing the sudden burst of outrage.

"I was telling her about the gang." Raye replied, looking at Serena unpleasantly. Not at all impressed with the small blonde's temper.

Lita slowed her pace, falling in line next to Serena. "Yeah, there's the seven of us. We all meet here every year."

Serena felt let down, none had mentioned Andrew. Apparently he was not a regular around here.

"What about Andrew?" Jed casually asked, ignoring the astonished look on his sisters face.

"Andrew...?" Lita finally remarked after a moment of puzzled silence, Raye just shrugged. "We know nobody here called Andrew."

"Really? Cause Serena here-" He began before he was instantly silenced as Serena slammed her dainty hand against his mouth.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She whispered furiously into his ear.

Prying her hand from his mouth Jed eyed her warily. "What's the big deal? I said I wouldn't tell Mom and Dad, but these guys may actually know who he is. Unless you would rather go looking around in the woods again?"

"…No." She sheepishly replied.

"What does he looked like? Lita coolly asked the pair. "Maybe we've seen him around."

Serena knew Jed was right, maybe they could help. It's not like she could embarrass herself any more than she already had.

"Umm…I only saw him briefly." She tried to explain, nervously playing with the ends of her long golden hair. "But he's tall, I think. Thick ebony hair, midnight blue eyes-"

Raye frown deepened, violet eyes narrowing in a suspicious glare, whereas Lita just smiled knowingly. "Oh, I wonder if you mean Darien?"

Serena's heart began to beat rapidly. _Darien…_ The name was simply perfect; it rolled of the tongue so well and suited him much better than Andrew. It sounded so cool.

She listened intensely as Lita continued on with her explanation.

"Darien is kind of our unofficial leader of our group. See, his Uncle owns part of the land and he works here, giving horse riding lessons to tourists every summer."

Serena was so enthralled in Lita's tale she had hardly noticed where they had ended up, until she nearly walked into the old wooden fence surrounding the stable area. Her heart began to beat even faster; this was the closest she had ever been to him before.

All she had to do was walk into the stables and there he would be…

She didn't question it, though it left her fuming as Raye rudely pushed past, shoulder against shoulder, suddenly giving her the silent treatment. Not even wanting to look in her direction, even if that meant not looking at Jed as well.

Serena looked at the back of her head in disgust, rubbing her sore arm. What had she said or done to piss her off so much?

Nathan and Jed were content to walk ahead of the group and into the stables, leaving the three girls behind by the old wooden gate

"So, what did you think of Darien?" Lita boldly asked, giving the blonde a playful nudge.

"Umm… I don't know." Serena answered, fighting the impulse to run her hand through her hair. It was just her luck that she would meet him now, with her hair standing on end, full of brambles and broken twigs. "I only saw him briefly when I arrived."

"I guess he made a lasting impression on you." Lita teased, resting on her arms leaning on the wooden beam, careful to avoid any large, rusty nails and splinted wood in the badly maintained enclosure.

Serena smiled, copying Lita's resting action on the fence. "Yeah, I guess so."

Raye snorted in disdain "Not surprised. Darien likes to leave a _lasting_ impression on people." She commented dryly before harshly pushing open the rusty gate and quickly walking off to join the guys in the stable.

Lita chuckled anxiously rubbing the back of her neck, embarrassed by her friends' behavior. "Don't worry about her, Serena. She just takes some getting used to."

Serena remained silent, not knowing if she wanted to get used to her. Raye had done everything to make her feel so unwelcome in the short time she had known her, and Serena didn't like it. Especially when she had said or done nothing wrong to provoke such a reaction.

Had Jed said something about her? Did Raye think she was nothing but a silly little girl as she ran screaming out of the woods, afraid of nothing but her own shadow?

"He's not here." Nathan coolly stated placing his hand in his pockets as he, Jed and Raye returned after a short time to the fence where Lita and Serena where still waiting.

Serena felt her heart sick into her toes. How could she be so close and yet so far all at the same time.

"Why don't we go down to the beach?" Lita suddenly suggested to the group. "Darien will know where to find us when he gets off work."

Serena and Jed looked at each other, silently asking each other the same question. This was a mountain retreat, they were miles away from the nearest coastline. What beach could she possibly be referring to?

"Beach, what beach?" Serena finally asked, voicing her confusing thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, you guys don't know." Lita replied shaking her head ruefully. "It's not really a beach, it's just a small area of shoreline around the lake that a lot of tourists don't know about. They'll all too busy with fishing and water sports to bother about it. So we kind of adopted it as our unofficial private beach.

"Are you two going to come swimming with us?" Nathan asked, directing his question at the two siblings.

Serena could barely contain her excitement, this was the moment she had been waiting for. Swimming with a group of new friends in her killer new bathing suit, knowing just how sexy she looked and felt wearing it. Darien wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off her, she was sure of it.

"Hell yeah!" Serena exclaimed, fist punching the air above her head, not able to keep her enthusiasm under control.

Jeff sighed at the once again humiliating antics of his little sister. "Sure, it sounds like fun." He smiled and nodded looking over at Raye who was clearly pleased that he was coming along.

Lita quickly took ahold of Nathans' hand "Great! We'll meet you back here in an hour, don't get lost." She teased in good nature as she, Nathan and Raye heading off in the opposite direction towards the other cabins.

Serena and Jed waited in silence till the small group was out of sight before turning around and heading back towards their cabin.

"She seemed nice..." Serena casually commented they continued along their short walk. "Nathan seems nice too."

Jed shrugged. "Yeah, I guess." Not really sure how to answer without looking like he gave a damn. Kicking up a dead leaf under his shoe, he had to keep his demeanor cool, calm. After all he had a reputation and image to uphold.

"What's up with that Raye?" She added dryly, her voice growing louder by the moment. "She's like a cold blooded ice Queen."

"She's alright." He replied with another nonchalant shrug of the shoulders.

"Alright!?" Serena nearly screamed in disbelief, placing her hands firmly on her hips. "Are you from planet stupid!? In what universe is she alright?"

"Sheesh Serena, take a chill pill or something." Jed rolled his eyes, getting irritated at how over the top she had to be sometimes.

"You're not helping!" She cried, stamping her foot hard on the soft ground. "What did you say to her?"

"What?" He added innocently, with a small smile.

"What did you say? I saw you whispering and making goo-goo eyes. Admit it you were totally flirting with her." She pointed at him, with a smirk.

"I was not." Jed scowled, though he couldn't hid the fact that the tips of his ears were turning a bright red, a sure sign that he was embarrassed.

"You were too." She teased, jogging a few paces ahead on the dirt road.

"Were not." He answered, shoving his hand in his pockets once more. Hoping for cool, yet coming off as more of a pout.

"Were too!" Serena called back.

"Were not!" He returned with fierce exclamation.

"Were too, were too, were too!" She childishly sang, dancing around him like a Maypole.

"Ok, when you grow up then I'll talk to you." He chided, avoiding all eye contact, he took bigger strides to try and put as much distance between himself and her antics.

"If you decided marry her I am so not coming to the wedding!" She called out after him, giggling as he gave her the middle finger over his shoulder.

"Real mature Jed!" She laughed, but her laughter quickly died when she was left with only the calming sounds of nature. Realising he was quickly leaving her behind, and she would be all alone in the wilderness once again.

Picking up her paced she hurriedly raced after him.

"Wait for meeeeeee!" She wailed.

* * *

"Mom? Dad?" Jed called out as they entered the cabin. Serena followed close, picking out the last twig from her hair.

Kenji and Irene were sitting on the gaudy couch in the lounge room, gently sipping cups of tea. By the deep sunburn on their cheeks and the look utter of exhaustion on their faces one could concluded the morning fishing trip had not ended well.

"What happened?" Serena sympathetically asked sitting down next to her mother on the three person sofa.

"Let's just say your father scared away all the fish." She replied with exasperated sigh, using her hand as a make shift fan.

"I did not." He replied bitterly.

"Dear, you completely lost your temper with all that yelling and shouting, you sounded like Godzilla. You probably gave the poor fish all heart attacks." Irene chastised sternly.

"You think that would have made catching them easier." Kenji grumbled under his breath, taking another sulky sip of his tea.

Irene smiled, throwing her arm around her daughters' shoulders, holding her close in a comforting manner.

"And where have you two been, out exploring?" She asked sweetly.

"…Something like that." Serena softly replied, not wanting to look her mother in the eyes. If they found out she had nearly gotten lost they would lock her in her room for the remainder of the vacation, only coming out to go on scheduled trips with her parents.

Jed quickly came to her rescue. "We meet this group of teenagers, they seemed nice."

Irene was pleasantly surprised. "Did you hear that Kenji?" She asked, giving her husband a gentle shake of his shoulder. "Our kids have met some locals."

"I'm not deaf, Irene." He replied finishing off the last of his tea, still sore about his fishing escapade.

"They asked us to go swimming with them." Serena added, not really wanting to explain that she had met them by falling to the ground almost on top of them.

"That sounds like fun." Irene commented, before her smiled turned into a frown and her protective motherly nature shone through. "Is there a lifeguard at the lake?" She looked at Kenji worryingly.

"Mom, you worry too much." Jed protested.

Kenji was furious and quickly on his feet. "Wait a minute, I didn't agree to that. Just who are these kids anyway, where did they come from, do they run in with a bad crowd?"

Jed tried to cool the situation "Dad, just chill."

"I will not _just chill_." Folding arms over his chest, his stern gaze was quick to find Serena. "And are there any boys in this group?

Serena's gaze darted back and forth around to the not so loving faces in the room. "Well…yes."

"Then I forbid you to go." Kenji stated, taking a firm stance with his teenage children.

He could see the dangers that his children, with their young minds, simply could not. With his over protective nature he was worried about an endless list of possible scenarios of things that could possibly go wrong. If anything happened to either of his children and he had done nothing to stop it he would never forgive himself.

"You forbid me?" Serena gasped. "Why?"

"Kenji, Serena and Jed have made some new friends, why can't they go?" Irene asked.

"Because, because you know how boys are like at that age…they only have one thing on their mind and I will not let Serena be exposed to that." He explained with a growl.

"Thanks a lot." Jed grumbled under his breath, was that how really hormone driven and superficial he was seen to be.

"Dad!" Serena childishly wailed. "I will be fine."

"Dear, Jed will be with her." Irene was quick to reassure her overprotective husband "He will look out for her."

"Great." Jed commented dryly. Now he was brother and babysitter all at the same time

"You don't have to worry about me." Serena interjected. "I don't swim in a place where there's no clean concrete bottom, so I'm just going to sunbath and probably not even go in the water at all. And as far as boys go, they already have girlfriends so they won't be interested in me."

That was a partial truth, she hadn't included her dream guy in her description. Though for all the times she spent thinking about him she had never asked herself, what if he had a girlfriend already.

Why did she assume a mega hunk like him was single at all?

Oh Kami, she prayed he was and that she still had a shot with him; even if the odds were stacked against her she needed that chance however slim it might be.

"See, you have nothing to worry about." Irene smiled, patting her daughter's knee affectionately. "You two go on and have fun."

She was deeply concerned for her children's safety and wellbeing, but knew in her heart she could not stop them simply being teenagers. They needed to be careful but also to have fun, building fond memories that would last a lifetime.

"Thanks Mom." They both sang at the same time. As Jed rushed away to his bags to retrieve his swimwear and disappear before their dad had chance to intercede.

Kenji grumbled under his breath sitting back down, picking up the newspaper from the coffee table. Not totally convinced, but was content enough not to stand in the way any longer.

"What time are you going?" Irene asked, moving her arm to allow Serena to scoot off the chair.

Jed returned from the back room, looking down at his wrist watch "In about half an hour." He coolly replied

"HALF AND HOUR!?" Serena exploded, her extreme outburst scaring her family half to death.

Bolting as fast as her legs could carry her she raced into the bathroom for a quick shower, eager to remove all the dirt and grime from her face and hair. It was a small bathroom compared to one back home. With the shower built into the soaker's tub at the back. With a plain white porcelain sink and mirror hanging off one wall. With only a small rectangular window above the white plastic tub surround for ventilation. The floor was white tile, the walls plain white, the tube matched the sink as did the toilet. It was so clean and plain it looked somewhat surreal. A white on white purity that nearly glowed and it hurt her eyes. She cast her clothes off, slipping into the tub and adjusting the water. Before pulling the valve and activating the silver shower head. Soon her young body was being pelted with comforting hot rain.

Grabbing the soap and washcloth she scrubbed and scrubbed her skin until it was red and sore, and yet she still didn't feel clean. She had to be simply perfect; this was the biggest moment of her young life, she had never had to worry about dressing to impress before, but today was totally different, a turning point in her life. She was no longer a little kid, she was turning into a young woman and she needed to start acting more like one.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when somebody pounded hard on the closed bathroom door. "For crying out loud Serena, we're just going swimming!" Jed cried through the locked door.

Serena ignored him. _You may be going swimming, but I'm going to see Andr- Darien._

Turing off the water and wrapping a large soft towel around her naked body she quickly darted from the bathroom into the adjoining bedroom, fortunately not running into her brother on the way there.

Luna screeched in fright as Serena lifted her large suitcase from the floor and hurled onto the bed, nearly squashing the poor cat in the process. No, time for apologies she threw out all her less than sexy attire looking for her killer bathing suit.

After five panicky minutes of searching she cried out "MOM! Where is it!?"

"Where is what, dear?" Irene asked stepping into the room hearing the loud cry from her young daughter.

"My new bikini, where is it?"

Irene shook her head, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Maybe _you_ should have packed your bags instead of me doing it."

Serena made a sour face. _Ooh typical mother talk._

Her eyes lit up in excitement seeing a flash of familiar pink fabric hidden away towards the bottom of the case.

"Ah-ha, I found it, I found-" she started

Serena screamed in horror pulling out the wrong bathing suit from her suitcase. Her mother must have just seen the pink ball of fabric in her wardrobe and in her haste to get the family ready assumed that was the correct one

Instead of her sexy new suit that she had been saving all year to buy, she was holding up her ugly one piece pink swimsuit that she hadn't worn since she was twelve years old.

"What…is…this?" She gasped. "Where is my new swim suit, Mom?"

"I don't know dear. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson about learning to being more organized, Serena." Irene stated, leaning against the doorframe with an irritated scowl.

Serena shook her head, fighting down her rage inside. _Okay, okay, don't panic, it's not what you wanted but it will do…It's not too bad, it will fit, you can still make it work. Besides the fact it is covered in giant moth holes… MOTH HOLES!_

"I can't wear this." She cried, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, it's full of holes. Now I have nothing to wear! Waahhh!" She finally broke down, her whole love life now eaten up just like her old suit.

Irene's heart broke at her daughter's distress. "Oh, sweetheart I am sorry."

"What am I supposed to do Mom? I can't wear this to swim and I have nothing else." She whined, tossing the suit disgustedly back into her suitcase.

Irene looked at her quizzically "I thought you weren't going to swim today?"

"Well…" Serena looked away, shuffling her toes into the carpet. She had no real desire to swim, only wanting to look good for Darien, but she couldn't tell her mother that.

Since the death of her father and before she remarried there was only the two of them. Serena was still young at the time but during that time they developed a close bond, and didn't keep secrets conceded, a mother and daughter team that deeply relied on one another. But when it came to boys…that was a topic Serena wasn't willing to share with her yet.

Teenagers needed to keep some secrets from their parents.

"I just wanted to keep my options open." She bit her lip, hatting to lie to her mother like that.

Irene took the disfigured swimsuit from her daughters' hands, looking over it thoroughly. "Hmm…you know, I may be able to fix it."

Serena's face lit up in joyous rapture. "Really, oh that's great Mom! You totally rule!"

"Well, it's badly damaged, and the fabric is difficult to sew into, but I'll give it a try. Give me a few minutes." Irene concluded marching away in rescue mode, and with that she quickly left the room to work.

Serena was ecstatic, in one smooth motion she picked up Luna, underneath her front legs, planting a big kiss on her wet nose. "Wooot! My life isn't over Luna. I still have a chance."

Luna meowed bitterly as the bubby teenager swung her around like she was little more than a rage doll, while she laughed and danced merrily in the middle of the room.

Placing her dizzy cat back onto the bed Serena quickly hurried to finish getting ready. Drying and brushing her long hair, tying it up onto her Odango style; applying light make-up with light pink lipstick, and lip-gloss that made her full lips oh so tempting.

By then it was almost time to go as her mother returned holding here attempted fixture of the badly neglected swimsuit.

"I did my best." She explained with a weak smile. "It's not perfect, but it should be alright now."

"It's…ummm…well…I…" Serena stumbled, not knowing what to think. The holes had been patched up with large pale yellow bows tightly sowed into the fabric, patching the holes and making it watertight. It was passable, but definitely not sexy. But her mom had tried her best and she couldn't be rude and disappoint her now.

"It's great mom." She lied, her words sounding so rehearsed, it was like they were completely natural.

Irene's smile beamed across her face. "Oh, that's wonderful. I was afraid you weren't going to like it. We'll enjoy, have fun but please be back before sundown."

She left, content to let her daughter get ready.

Jed poked his head around the doorway, looking amusingly at the swimsuit. "Hey Serena, you know Halloween isn't until October, right?" He teased.

Serena screeched in annoyance, picking up her white sandal she threw it at the door, slamming it shut in his face.

* * *

"Cheer up Serena. Look it's not that bad, really." Jed tried to fix his smart ass remark and repair her hurt feelings.

Serena looked up in dismay at her brother, keeping her arms tightly folded across chest, her light blue summer dress hiding away the depressing swimsuit underneath.

"It is bad Jed. I know Mom tried and all, but…" Her face still looked hot, from thoughts of impending humiliation, big fat tears beading in the corners of her innocent blue eyes. Her whole pathetic hurt look was breaking his heart.

Jed chuckled, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I was only teasing you about the Halloween thing. Look, I'm sure no one will really notice."

"Even Darien?" She asked glumly.

"Ahh…" Jed added with a smile. "So this is all for him is it?"

"Says you." She replied incredulously. "You're all gussied up, looking to impress Raye are we?"

Jed blushed bright red. "No." He bluntly replied not wanting to look at her or say anymore

Serena smiled, but decided not to further tease her brother about it. When it came to girls Jed was a funny guy, one minute he was all suave, cocky and gung ho about it. The next he was timid, embarrassed and quick to anger.

The remainder walk back to the stables was quiet and uneventful. Waiting for them was Raye, and Lita.

"Hi." Lita greeted the pair with a friendly smile. Having a nice dark green tankini underneath a white sarong. While Raye stood back, lips pursed and still with a miserable look on her face. She was back in her red mini dress her swimsuit safely hidden underneath.

"Hi." Serena answered, Lita's smile was bright and so contagious that Serena couldn't help but smile too.

"You look a little better than you did earlier." Lita observed with a small giggle.

"Thanks, I feel better too." She smiled with fake happiness.

Serena had been appalled when she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was full of twigs, face streaked with dirt and her t-shirt had been torn in her mad dash through the woods. How her parents hadn't noticed her state of was beyond belief. Perhaps they were too exhausted from the failed morning fishing trip to fully pay attention.

Taking a look around at the small group she asked, "Where's Nathan?"

"He's getting the others and going to meet us there." Lita replied placing an arm across her shoulder gesturing the group onward to their destination. Jed and Raye fell behind the group, content to talk amongst themselves. Serena was relieved, she didn't really want to deal with Raye's bitter mode right now.

Lita laughed reminiscing ruefully about a fond memory. "You know what kiddo, you're not the first person to get lost in the forest. A year ago Mina and I got lost in the very same woods."

She paused noticing the confused look on Serena's face. "Oh sorry, you haven't met Mina yet. She's great, you'll love her. You know, in a way, she looks a lot like you."

"Really?" Serena asked unbelieving, trying to keep up with the tall girls larger stride.

"Sure, now that I think about it, you two have same color hair, eyes. She even keeps her hair long like you." She laughed. "Anyway, we were trying following this group of cute guys, I swear one of them looked like my ex-boyfriend. But somehow we took a wrong turn and before we knew it was dark."

"What happened?" Serena asked, shivering at the thought of being lost in the forest at night.

Lita laughed once again. "We started arguing about what we should do. I wanted to stay, you know survival rule number one, if you get lost stay where you are and wait for help to arrive."

"Sound advice, where did you learn that?" Serena mused.

Lita proudly place a hand on her chest. "You are looking at Japan's number one Scout. Well, ex-girl scout, to be precise."

Serena couldn't help but smile, holding back the urge to laugh. The tall Amazonian as a Girl Scout was a hard thing to imagine.

"So, what did Mina want to do?" Serena inquired her eyes wide with worry.

"Mina wanted to keep going, convinced she knew the right way. Though, if she knew the right way we wouldn't have been lost in the first place." Lita advised, with a knowing grin.

"You tell her that?" Serena smirked.

"Tell her, I practically screamed it at her. The yelling we did, back and forth at each other, was so loud that the rescue party had no problems in finding us." Her grin widened. "Our parents were so relieved, my Mom said to me that it was the one time our big mouths and fighting all the time was finally good for something."

"So, you and Mina have been friends a long time?" Serena inquired mildly.

"Yep, since we were little kids. What about you? Anyone like that back home?" Lita responded with a fond smile.

Serena smiled. "There's Molly, we've been friends a long time too. We're practically sisters in a way."

Lita nodded in understanding. "I totally get that… Maybe one day we could be good friends too?"

"I'd like that." Serena added hopefully.

Lita was pleased, turning around and observing Jed and Raye over her shoulder who continued to lag behind the pair.

"Your brother is kinda cute." Lita replied with a smile, turning back to address Serena. "Raye's always got a soft spot for the pretty boys around here."

"Do you get a lot of cute guys around here?" She asked, always passionately interested in the subject of good looking men

"Sure." Lita answered, like that should have been common knowledge. "But a lot of them are only interested in fishing, or have girlfriends back home. A lot is what I like to call 'one timers'. They come here for a week or so during the summer, then never come back."

"But you got Nathan." Serena observed.

"Yeah, but Nathan was different. I met him at school. And when my parents planned our annual summer trip, he decided to come too." Lita confessed with a dreamy smile.

"So you've been here a lot then?" Serena stated with a giggle.

"Yep, been coming here for…three years at least. Mina's the same and the others were new last year." Lita agreed, chuckling at her new little friend.

She sighed, locking her fingers behind her head. "I was lucky, I guess, that I found someone as great as Nathan, a lot of people leave here disappointed. They are looking for that summer fling and never find it. Personally, I don't believe in summer love, it's too short and too difficult to maintain when the season is over. You both go back to your own lives like nothing has ever happened. No thanks."

Serena didn't say anything in return. What could she say? She was no expert on summer love—or any kind of love for that matter. Sure she had read it in books, seen in in movies but never had felt that wonderful feeling deep inside her before. Sometimes it left her feeling down and lonely. Wondering why was everyone else in the world happy and in love, except her. Had she done something wrong, was there a special class in finding love that she didn't attend, a magic potion that they gave out free samples of in the mall? How did everyone else just simply know what to do when it came to love?

Finally the long windy path came to an end, entering a clearing there was the crystal clear lake, dwarfed by the sleeping giant in the distance. It was so picturesque and beautiful it took her breath away. Like a secret shoreline full of dreams and possibilities.

Strange, this was the same lake she had been fishing with her parents only yesterday and yet she had never seen this small patch of beach. Then again she was so caught in her fantasies she wouldn't have even see the water under the boat if she didn't know it was there.

Sitting along the sandy shore where five other teenagers, who immediately stopped their quite discussions upon hearing the small group approach.

Serena and Jed didn't know what to do as Lita and Raye quickly walked over to their friends, hugging, talking and laughing like everything was second nature to them. One of the guys from the group noticed the brother and sister duo standing alone on the edge of the beach and approached them. Both smiled seeing a familiar face in Nathan as he offered his hand in friendly gesture. The sturdy young man was only in pair of black trunks, his long brunette hair handing loosely around his bronzed shoulders.

"Hi. It's good to see you both again. Come, met the rest of the group." He offered politely.

Serena and Jed looked at each other for a silent moment before deciding to follow Nathan towards the beach. Before she even got more than a few steps in, Lita rushed back towards her, bringing along two other girls that Serena did not recognize.

"Hey Serena, sorry about leaving you like that, but I would like you to meet my friends. This is Mina, who I told you about, and this is Amy." She cheerfully inclined. Mina, a cute honey blonde in an orange bikini her ample breasts nearly bouncing out of her top. The other girl was far less flashy with short dark hair a sweet mousey face wearing a simple white one piece bathing suit, with large, blue vertical strips down either side.

"Are you two going to swim?" Lita asked, pulling off her sarong and adjusting the strap on her dark green two piece swim suit."

Amy shook her head. "No, I've got some reading to do. Perhaps later." Waving them off and heading back to the towels strewn over the shoreline.

"Serena?" Lita turned to inquire.

She shook her head. "Umm, not right now. I think I'll stay with Amy for a while." She hedged, not willing to get into the lake with the fish and other possible creepy crawlies that might be lurking there.

"It's ok Serena, you don't need to stay with me." Amy offered politely, having only taken a couple steps away before she had been nominated to be the new comer's companion.

"Well…I…" Serena stuttered, suddenly feeling less welcome.

"If you want to have a swim, go for it." Amy smiled genuinely

"I-I'm not really keen to show off my swimsuit." Serena cast her gaze down in shame. Her cheeks flaring.

"Why not? I bet it looks really good." Amy offered, seeing her curt nature had accidently made the blonde feel nervous.

"If I show you, you promise not to laugh." Serena stated bashfully.

"Serena, I promise I won't laugh at you." Amy responded, her tone stern and honest.

Untying the blue cords at the back of her dress Serena let the fabric fall into a puddle by her feet. Nervously she raised her head, waiting for Amy's reaction.

Amy forced polite smile, beads of nervous sweat running down the back of her neck. If she had any smart mouthed comments she politely kept them to herself.

"Umm…it's certainly…different." She tried to sound complementary.

At that moment Serena wanted to crawl into a hole and just die, she knew it was a bad idea to wear this. Why had she not paid more attention to the contents of her suitcase?

"Is it that bad?" She whined, spinning uncertainly in place.

"It's not bad. It's just-"Amy began.

"Different." Serena glumly finished.

"Don't worry about it... Perhaps you can start a new trend." Amy giggled.

Serena smiled, thankful that Amy was nothing like sourpuss Raye. They walked to the blankets arm and arm, laughing and vesting cheerfully. Then spent a while lying down on her beach blanket she talked about everything and anything. Learning Amy was a straight A student studying to be a doctor just like her mother.

Serena would have loved to learn more, but the sun was hot and high in the afternoon sky, enjoying the warmth spreading through her body was making her a little sleepy and before she knew it she had drifted off to sleep.

Unknowing how much time had passed her sleep was suddenly disturbed, when someone cast a long shadow over her, cooling her body and blocking out the sun's warm rays.

She shuddered from the lack of warmth, surprised that she had fallen so soundly asleep out in the open. She groaned irritably, angry at having been awoken. since she was once again dreaming about Darien. Now to add insult to injury someone was rudely blocking out her precious sunlight.

"Hey, buddy. You're blocking my light. Move." She ordered the mysterious person; with her still sleep addled brain and eyes squeezed tightly closed, she was eager to return to her dreams.

When the shadow didn't move at her command then Serena really began to lose her cool.

"Are you deaf!?" She shouted in rising irritation "Move it or lose it."

"…So what exactly is it I will be losing by not moving?" A deep smoking voice echoed smoothly down to her.

The sound of his voice had Serena's eyes fly open wide in complete shock. Quickly sitting upright she gasped, swallowing back any further words and almost her own tongue in the process. Standing above her, with the sun's rays streaming in from behind him it cast his body in an ethereal glow, like he had suddenly descended from the very heavens themselves.

In front of her was the one person she wanted more than anything else in the world, but never in her life expected it to be. With his finely sculpted body, hidden beneath a white t-shirt and a jet black pair of long board shorts. His thick dark hair hanging over his deep soulful blue eyes. That were dancing with mirth as he gazed down upon her.

"Hi, I'm Darien. Darien Shields." He began sitting down on the edge of her blanket, holding out his hand in friendly invite for hers. His smile, his body, his looks was everything that she had ever wanted. How could someone exist that was just utter perfection in her eyes?

Willing her body to work she took his hand in hers, his grip was firm but not unpleasantly so. Her hand felt so warm, safe and protected in his grasp.

Serena stared at him completely star struck. His smile made her heart pound so widely she feared it would simply explode from her chest. A hot flush washed over her, from the top of her head down to her toes, the heat turning her body into an inferno.

Darien laughed again, his laughter was sweet, exposing his straight white teeth. A sound that would never get tired to her ears.

"So, do you have a name, or shall I make one up for you?" He asked, amusement shining from his gorgeous midnight eyes that were more wonderful than anything her imagination could ever envision.

Bringing her mind back to reality it was only then she realized she had been staring at him for a good half a minute in silence, still shaking his hand up and down like an idiot. Her mouth gaped like a goldfish, her lips dry and parched as she fought back the urge to lick them.

"I'm- I'm- I'm-" She stuttered, slowly removing her hand from his; she couldn't string together a coherent sentence, her mind drawing a complete blank. All the confidence she had was now completely obliterated. She was a total nervous wreck.

Finally her brain and mouth decided to work together. "S-S Serena." She was relieved to answer. Almost having forgotten her own name in the process.

"Well, S-S Serena, where are you from?" He asked, moving closer. His smelled like fresh hay, horses and leather.

"I'm from Azabu-Juban." She answered, hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she felt.

"Azabu-Juban, huh? I'll have to visit there soon if all the girls are as pretty as you."

He smiled again and Serena was thankful she was sitting down otherwise she would have swooned right there.

_He thinks I'm pretty!_ She screamed in her mind. Her dream super hunk thought she was pretty.

_This is a dream._ _No, somehow I died lying on that beach towel and now I have gone to heaven…_

Still, if this was heaven then wouldn't everyone else had to be dead too? No, everything was too vivid and imperfect to be heaven, except for the Adonis sitting in front of her. She was still aware of her surroundings, the other teenagers yelling and playing in the water. Jed was showing off his famous diving technique from the edge of the dock that looked more like a glorified belly flop than anything remotely impressive.

Even Amy had at some point been persuaded to join in the group and was laughing and swimming with everyone else. Nathan and Michael had set up a volley ball net on the small stretch of sand near the edge of the lake and were engaged in a friendly game with Lita and Mina cheering loudly from the sidelines. The birds sang sweetly sitting in the nearby trees and even the small bee buzzed lazily around her head before flying off to the nearest flower.

"Are you alright?" Darien asked, his smiled fading away turning into an expression of concern. "You look sort of dazed."

Serena nodded, a bit more enthusiastically than she would have liked. "Yeah, I'm fine... I guess I'm not fully awake yet." She added rubbing her sleepy eyes to prove a point, wishing she hadn't done that.

"Oh, wow, I didn't know you were asleep. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." He exclaimed, tilting his head to one side, a crooked grin on his face.

"Oh no, it's fine. I wanted to wake up." She nervously smiled at him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She was still unable to believe that such a great-looking guy was sitting on the edge of her towel, talking to her. He smelt so good, she wanted to lean in closer, imaging what it would be like to be held in his strong arms.

"Hey Darien!" Nathan called out as he, Lita, Mina and Michael heeded back to the water having finished their game. "Come on in!"

"Yeah, come on!" Mina added before Michael scooped her up in his arms. With a squeal of both protest and delight she laughed as they both raced towards the cool water.

Darien laughed and waved at them, then stood up, looking down at Serena who remained unmoving on the towel. "Come on."

In on smooth motion he grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing a firmly muscled chest that made just the slightest gasp escape from Serena's lips. Sure she had seen a guy half naked before, but only her brother.

Never someone just so...hot.

Darien dismissively threw his t-shirt to the ground, before looking back at Serena. A crooked smile and playfulness in his eyes made him look even more dashing than before

"Aren't you coming?" He asked, after a brief moment that it was clear Serena wasn't going to move.

"Oh, I don't know." She replied hesitantly, afraid to admit her fear of swimming in the slimly lake.

"Come on, the water always feels great this time of day." He held out his hand.

Serena looked at his hand stretched out in invite for hers, realizing she had two choices. One to sit there all alone on the shore and let Darien go in and have fun with all the others.

Or two, she could face her fear of the dirty lake with who knows what kind of fish and other creepy crawlies living it and take a chance on love.

"I promise I won't let anything happen to you." He vowed, his voice sincere and strong.

And she believed him, he could have told her that people lived on the moon and she would have believed him. His beautiful eyes held such conviction that she knew he was telling the truth, and it made her feel safe. She hardly knew him but there was something there, she was sure of it.

Quickly coming to a decision she reached up and grabbed his hand...


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone. ****I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and a great start to the New Year**

**Here is my next chaper, if you enjoyed reading it please leave a review**

**Otherwise, how will I ever know :P**

* * *

*****oOo*****

**Chapter 5**

Serena put her hand in his, hoping her hand wasn't took moist. Sometimes she believed that she was the only girl in the whole world who worried about sweaty palms, bad breath and trivial things like that.

Darien led her towards the water. When they got to the edge Serena halted, eyeing the crystalline surface suspiciously.

"You can swim, can't you?" Darien asked, his blue eyes once again making Serena feel weak in the knees.

"Of course." She replied with a small nervous laugh, making no attempt to move closer to the water. Her heart pounded widely in dread and utter terror. Never had she swam in a place like this before, the water would be freezing and who knows how deep. Plus what if there were wild animals living in there? Granted that no one had ever been eaten by a crocodile or shark in these waters. But knowing her luck, Serena evidently believed she would be the first.

"But I usually swim in swimming pools, you know. With concrete bottoms, filter systems, chlorine and stuff." She added without thinking, unbelieving she had just said that. How childish did that sound? Now he probably thought she was nothing but a big cry baby and completely lose interest in her.

Yet to her surprise Darien's protective grip on her hand tightened, his reassuring gaze once again meeting hers. "This is pretty much the same thing." He replied with a smile and gently pulled her towards the water. But despite his reassurance Serena dug her heels into the grassy bank, refusing to give an inch, like a stubborn mule.

"What's the matter, Serena?" He asked with such genuine concern in his voice.

In that moment Serena felt like she could just break down and cry, feeling so foolish at her childish behaviour. But no matter what she couldn't will her brain to make her feet move, remaining standing on the dry bank, still holding Darien's hand while the cool water gently lapped at his ankles.

"Uh…I-I can't. There are fish in that water, big ones and there could be leeches. Oh and snakes, you know those ones that can swim." She anxiously answered, her words tumbling out of her mouth just as fast as her heart was pounding in her chest.

Her words were silly, her fears unfounded but she couldn't help it. What if it was true? You could die from a snake bite, or what if a leech managed to attach to somewhere private where no leech should ever attach itself…

Darien smiled patiently and dropped her hand, suddenly making Serena felt so cold and empty inside, truly wishing she hadn't said anything. That she could turn back time and completely undo the last ten minutes of her life.

Oh, how she could just wish that she was back home in her bed. Probably crying herself to sleep over the fact she had just made a total mess of everything; her one shot at true love and she had just blown it by making a complete ass out of herself.

"Serena, there are no leeches or snakes in this water, and look…" He paused gesturing towards the group of teenagers carefree playing in the water nearby. "With all the guys out there, splashing and yelling, believe me, that commotion would scare away even the bravest of fish."

He took a small step towards her. "But if you really don't want to go in, that's okay. I'll sit and talk to you."

Serena felt her heart leap in her chest, he was truly so wonderful. She was touched that he would forgo the pleasure of swimming, of being with his friends, just to be with her.

She shook her head. "No, it's ok. I'll go in just, slowly. Please."

He held out his had to her once again. "Serena, I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

The confidence in his eyes, the coaxing grin on his face, Serena knew that no matter how scared she was, no matter how squeamish she was feeling she was getting into that lake with Darien.

Feeling her courage grow as Darien's hand enclosed hers, making it feel so warm and safe in his protective grasp. With no further words he slowly and gently led her into the water.

Serena gasped as the cold water licked at her ankles, the rich mud on the bottom of the lake squished and squelched up in-between her toes, making her feel all icky inside. "It's so cold!" She exclaimed with an involuntary shiver.

Darien laughed, exposing his straight, white teeth. "This lake was created from ancient volcanic eruptions. See, in ancient times, lava flow from the eruptions of Mount Fuji spread across the area, damming up rivers and resulting in the formation of these lakes. So they have been untouched for like thousands of years, that's why it's exceptionally clear and clean. You'll get used to it."

He squeezed her hand encouragingly and Serena returned the gesture, wishing he would never let go. She wondered if the warmth that she felt at being so close to him, combined with the cold water would evidently make steam shoot out of her ears.

Serena grinned gamely and allowed him to lead her deeper into the water. The rest of the girls gathered around, laughing and chatting amongst themselves.

"Well it's about time you joined us." Lita teased with good hearted nature. "I was worried I would have to pick you up and carry you into the water."

Mina giggled, the moment of her chest making sure everyone caught a glimpse of her established womanly features that were practically bursting out from her flimsy bikini top. "That's not a joke, she's done it before."

"Only because you were being such a diva, Mina." Lita added with a serious tone, placing her hands on her broad hips.

"Well this _diva_ can still out swim you, Lita." Mina grinned then dove beneath the surface of the water. She surface a few meters away spitting water at Lita like a whale.

"You're on!" Lita grinned and dove after Mina who cut through the water like an Olympic swimmer. Serena watched the pair chasing each other and laughing, she envied their ease in the lake water.

Darien urged Serena forward another step, so the water was now up to her knees. "Thanks for being so patient with me." She smiled shy, a blush warming her cheeks.

"Oh, Darien always give _special _attention to the new girls." Raye commented dryly making small adjustments to her red, strapless bathing suit with bright yellow pattern. Narrowing her eyes, without a further word and a flip of her long wet hair she dived back into the water, swimming in the direction towards Jed.

Serena couldn't help but eye Darien curiously after Raye's strange comment. It sounded like she was mad because Darien was paying attention to someone else instead of her. Did she like Darien? Was she jealous? If so, then why was she opening flirting with Jed?

If she sought to get a reaction then she succeeded, Darien for a moment was deathly silent, never taking his gaze from the spot where Raye had been. Serena didn't know what to say. Raye had left behind an awkward feeling in her wake and Serena didn't like it. Perhaps Darien could see the bitterness and spite that Serena saw, that's why he wasn't interested in her. Or was there more to it than that?

"…Don't pay any attention to her." He finally answered, his tone for the first time was cold, sending a shudder through Serena like someone had just walked upon her grave. His grip on her hand tightened further, almost to the point where it was beginning to feel painful, but Serena grit her teeth and said nothing as he continued to lead her deeper.

The ends of her hair touching the cool water floated on the surface like a long golden carpet. Darien couldn't help but notice and Serena was glad that he was smiling again, pushing out all thoughts of Raye from her mind.

"You probably get asked this a lot but, how did you get your hair to be so long?"

Serena giggled, batting her long eyelashes. "Actually, you're the first person to ask me that."

Darien cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Really?"

"Sure, most people just accept the fact that my hair is that way. See when I was little me and my friend Molly made a bet on who could grow their hair the longest." She explained as they continued to walk deeper, the cool water continuing to ever rise slowly up her body towards waist height

"I take it you won?" Darien asked gamely, looking back at the blonde over his shoulder.

Serena let out a laugh. "No, she did. So I decided to grow my hair even longer than hers. She had it cut short when we stared middle school. I just kept growing it."

"Well it's impressive, even Mina's hair isn't that long."

Serena blushed, feeling proud of her accomplishment. Trudging deeper into the water she noticed that Michael and Zac had taken the volley ball net and strung it across a narrow section of the lake to create a new water version of their volley ball game. They called out to the pair, asking them to play.

Darien waved back and hurriedly pulled Serena towards the group. Serena didn't resist his enthusiasm but had neglected to tell him that she and sports were not a winning combination.

Michael and Zac smiled as they approached, and Serena noticed the pair couldn't have been anymore different if they tried.

Michael, wearing dark blue board shorts was tall, with a strong muscular build. His long silvery hair hung loosely around his face. He was similar height to Nathan with dark eyes, a distinct pointed chin, handsome facial features.

Zac, wearing pale green board shorts, was quieter, compared to his rambunctious friend. His frame was thinner, less muscular than the other boys. Long mousey brown hair, His facial features were softer, almost feminie looking in a way. His beautiful green eyes looked so soulful and full of life. He smiled shyly at Serena, content to be a wallflower in the wake of his burlier friends.

The water was now above her waist, just above her breasts, and Serena didn't want to risk going any deeper. Approaching the group Darien once more looked at her back over his shoulder. "You know how to play, right?"

"Of course I know." She laughed nervously through her own lie. 'Doesn't everyone?"

"Cool, well you can be on my team." He grinned, with that funny, crooked smile that made Serena's heart flutter. For the first time she notice that his eyes, were almost the exact same intense blue as the water they swam in

She cringed as they approached ever closer to the group. Darien had never seen her play sports and she was hoping it was something he would never have to see. Serena simply had no hand-eye coordination, even as a little kid she could never make her brain and her hands or feet work together in harmony. Playing in the school yard she had seen more than her fair share of bumps, knocks and scratches. She didn't know how many more blows her fragile body could take.

"Do you mind if I ask you another question?"

Serena blinked out of her half dazed state, to find that they had long stopped walking through the water and now stood on the edge of the playing area.

Looking up at Darien she forced a small smile, to hide her nerves from him. "…Sure."

"About your hair…" He began, looking at her quizzically "You know the top part. I have never see a style like that before. It looks like a couple of-"

"Hey Meatball Head!" Jed cried over the top of the group, bouncing the white volley ball between his hands "Catch!"

Serena had no time to react. It felt as if time itself had slowed to a crawl as the leather ball left Jed's hands and flew through the air; its target her face. The white ball found its mark, stopping squarely against her nose. The force of the blow sent Serena careening backwards into the water, submerging her entire body under. She gasped from the shock, foolishly drawing water into her lungs, legs flayed wildly underneath the surface, her feet unable to find a solid surface and for a moment she felt like this was the end. Her young life flashing before her eyes.

She didn't fight it, the bright light calling to her, beckoning her ever onwards... But it seems that today fate had a different plan for her. For within one heart stoping moment a strong hand crashed through the crystalline surface, her fingers trembled as the hand quickly found her own hidden beneath the murky deeps. With a firm tug Serena was yanked upwards, her feet finding the smooth bottom of the mud lake as her body was pulled upright into the welcoming warmth of the sunlit world.

She gasped, coughing at spluttering as lungs drew in precious oxygen, never having felt so relieved to be breathing in her whole life.

"Are you alright!?" Darien's startled voice asked in alarm. Serena didn't answer, she could barely see him through the mattering of wet hair plastered across her face. Looking though her golden jungle of hair she could just make out several figures that had hurriedly approached her upon seeing the impact.

"You had us worried kiddo." Lita asked, helping Serena to brush aside her wet hair.

Jed sighed ruefully, picking up the white volley ball that floated nearby. "You're supposed to catch the ball with your hands not your face. Meatball Head."

"Meatball Head, good one Jed." Raye commented with glee, her lips twisting into a wicked smile. "You looked so ridiculous, flaying about in the water like that. And look...!" She paused pointing unkindly at the soaked blonde. "You now have a meatball nose, to match your meatball head."

She had never felt so ashamed as the group of kids began to laugh, their cruel laughter cutting into her soul like a knife through butter. Serena instinctively raised her hand to her nose, it felt red and sore, probably making her look like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. They laughed and laughed, clutching their sides from stiches, never having seen a sight as funny as hers.

Serena could only just stand there, cold and dripping wet, parting her wet mattered hair from her face like a curtain. The water ran down along her makeup, lipstick smudged across her mouth, thick black mascara streaking down her face creating large black tear lines underneath her eyes. The pathetic sight of her only made the group laugh even harder.

It made her feel so small and worthless. Her head slumped, shoulder shook as fresh tears ran down her face, falling into the cool water around her. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to get away. She quickly waded through the water back to the shore. Her throat was raw and dry, vision blurred through the film of fresh tears over her eyes, she rushed back to her pile of discarded clothing that lay in a crumpled heap on the shore.

Quickly gathering up her belongings, clutching them close to her chest, not even bothering to get dressed she ran. Wanting to put as much space between herself and those horrid people as possible. The ground was hard and uncomfortable against her bare feet, lose stones and twigs made her attempt to flee difficult and painful. A brief stumble cost her one of her shoes as it fell from her grasp onto the soft ground, falling in a small patch of purple wildflowers.

Not stopping to retrieve it, she just kept running. With no destination in mind, once again she was quick to get lost in the dense forest surrounding the cabins, though this time she didn't care. Frankly she was hoping that there truly were bears in the woods and one would come out and find her, dragging her sorry state off to its lair.

Collapsing at the foot of a willow tree she cried, wailing louder than she had ever before. Curling into a ball, wrapping her arms around herself, her body shook from her sobs. She could still hear them, see their faces in her mind's eye. The tears of laughter, the way they clutched their sides in stiches, the smug, cruel look on Raye's face as she continued to taunt her over and over again.

And what of Darien…did he laugh at her predicament? She did not know, too ashamed to look in his direction after she surfaced and he hadn't followed her, so perhaps he had. Evidently it was obvious he truly didn't care about her. And why should he; she was a mess, like an aftermath of a tornado, nothing but a complete disaster. He would want a women, sexy and confident, not a sobbing little girl.

"Serena?"

Oh kami no, please not him. Anyone in the entire world, except him.

The crunching of leaves underfoot confirmed her worst fears as the figure continued to approach unhindered. Just her luck that he would see her like this, how worse could this day get?

Darien crouched down in front of her, his expression full of pity for the small blonde. He didn't seem to mind the cold droplets of water running down from his hair falling onto his white t-shirt, making the fabric stick to his muscular body like a second skin.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She abruptly answered. Part of her wanted him to go and leave her to wallow her own self-pity; the other wanted him to stay, to just be near.

He slowly reached out his hand to her face, but she turned away from him. "I said I was fine." Mentally cringing at the bitterness and spite laced in her voice.

"How did you find me?"

"I followed the loud wailing, at first I thought you were being attacked by some wild animal. I would have had to jump in and save you."

"I can take care of myself."

"That I don't doubt, but the way you took off like that… I was worried about you."

"Why?" She asked, wiping away the tears and her makeup stains with the back of her hand. "…You don't even know me."

"You're right, I don't… But I would really like to."

Serena could only watch in stunned silence as he gently pushed away the short strands of hair from her face, eyeing the small bump on her nose. "It's not that bad."

She suppressed a laugh. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"Perhaps." He replied with a chuckle. "Look, I am sorry for the way the gang acted. I'll make sure they don't laugh at you again. But in return, I need you to do something for me."

Serena raised her eyebrow in interest. "And what might that be?"

Resting on bent knee he pulled out a familiar white sandal from behind his back. "I was wondering, if my lady, could tell me who the owner of this remarkable shoe is?"

Serena bit her lower lip, a wide smile breaking across her face as he gently took her foot; resting it on his knee he gently slipped the shoe over her toes, securing it under her heel. "Not that the shoe is remarkable my good Sir." Serena playfully joined in, not taking her eyes off him for one moment.

"Though I may know the fair maiden to whom it belongs."

"Good." He replied with a smirk, raising his head to meet her gaze. "Because I would love to have such a fair maiden be my date tomorrow night at the cookout."

_A date!_ Serena couldn't believe her ears, he was actually asking her out on a date. After everything that had happened today he was still interested in her. How did this all happen at once? Merely two days ago he was just a figment of her own imagination, now he was here, crouching down in front of her on bent knee, just like a Prince from a fairy tale.

Serena kept her expression blank, not wanting him to see just how excited she truly was, even though her heart was pounding wildly inside her chest. "What cookout?" She asked nonchalantly.

"We're having a campfire tomorrow night down by the stables." Darien explained, resting his other knee to the ground. "We do this about twice month and we always have a great time." He paused a moment, gazing at her with such longing Serena felt like she was in a dream. "So, will you go out with me?"

Serena pretend to think about it for a moment as if she really needed to. The answer was so obvious, it was like asking whether the sun would rise, or the sky was blue. There was simply no other logical response.

"I would love to." She answered, with no hesitation in her voice.

Darien grinned widely, making the cleft in his chin deepen attractively. His smile was so contagious that Serena couldn't help but smile too.

"Great. I promise you, tomorrow will be a night you will never forget."

Of that Serena had no doubt, he seemed so smooth and sure of himself. Since practically riding into her life every moment with him had been memorable. Oh how she wished she could tell Molly all about Darien, and how she wished she was right there to see him. But mostly she wished tomorrow night would hurry and get here.

* * *

**Later that day…**

Serena stood in the small gift section of the office, trying to choose a postcard to send to Molly. Normally she would have been on her cell phone so fast, hurriedly trying to explain her entire day to her friend without taking time to breathe. But her father had instead that while on holiday her cell was to be used for emergencies only, not want to rack up a huge bill that would be waiting for him when they returned home.

Finally deciding on a scenic postcard, with a picture of Lake Yamanaka with Mt Fuji in the background dominating the skyline. Perhaps the card was a little cliché, after all Serena had spent her last day with her friend whining about having to look at some boring old mountain. Besides, it was the thought that counts, and she knew once Molly got a glimpse on what was inside she would turn green with envy.

"If you want to write on that right now, I'll send it first thing in the morning." The elderly woman behind the cash register explained as Serena handed over the correct amount of change for the card and a stamp.

"Great." She smiled, eager to have Molly get the postcard as soon as possible. Taking the pen that the cashier offered to her she shuffled down to a less crowed, more secluded area of the counter and flipped the postcard over to the blank side.

Dear Molly,

Having a wonderful time, glad you're not here. (lol), Actually, I wish you were here to see the mega hunk I've got a date with tomorrow night. Get this—his name is Darien, he has dark hair, blue eyes and he's totally gorgeous. Everything I ever imagined.

Gotta go—sexy details to follow…

Your bf 4eva.

Love Sere.

Serena giggled as she signed her name, knowing Molly would go nuts waiting to hear more. She quickly attached a stamp to the postcard and handed it back to the cashier. Turing around she narrowly avoided walking straight into Raye.

"Watch where you're going, Meatball Head!" She scolded.

Normally Serena would have reacted to being called names, but she was too happy to care. The promise of a wonderful night with Darien was dominating her mind, and not even Raye and the dark cloud that constantly hovered over her head couldn't dampen Serena's spirits now.

"You know what, Raye." She began, asserting her authority over the ebony haired girl. "You can call me all the names you want, I simply don't care what you think. I have a date tomorrow night with Darien and there is nothing you can say or do about it."

With a huff and a flick of her hair she walked out of the office, smiling proudly to herself for her small victory.

Heading up the dirt path to the cabins she heard the crunching sound of footsteps behind her as Raye hurryingly sought to catch up with her.

"You have a date!?" She asked breathlessly, once drawing level with the small blonde

"That's right." Serena replied with an air of smugness, locking her fingers together behind her head. "Darien and I are on a date tomorrow night for the cook-off."

Half expecting Raye to erupt upon hearing the news, Serena was taken back when Raye went all solemn and a quiet for the first time since they had met.

"That's…nice." She meekly replied, playing with the ends of her long hair. "Not that I blame you…Darien, is totally gorgeous." She shrugged her shoulders "What else is there to say about him?"

Something about the way that Raye spoke convinced Serena that she didn't want to talk or hear any more about him.

"Darien, is not really one of us." She added after a long moment.

"He was really nice to me." Serena was quick to add, seeking to defend his honor from Raye's badgering.

"Oh, he's is nice alright." She commented bitterly, pursing her lips. "…I guess practice makes perfect."

Before Serena could comment on Raye's strange statement the fiery youth abruptly turned on her heels and walked away in the opposite direction, back towards the small office building.

Serena stood there in silence, watching Raye's silhouette disappear over the horizon, wondering what she had meant by her last statement about Darien. Practice makes perfect…that didn't exactly sound like a complement. Something about the way Raye spoke about Darien bothered her, but Serena couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

She shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the resentful girl from her mind. _What difference does it make? I have a date with Darien tomorrow night, and that is the only thing that is important._

Heading further up the dirt path, brushing down the dust from her blue dress, she looked up to notice Jed quickly heading in her direction.

"Mom and Dad sent me on a search mission for you." He hurriedly stated, slightly breathless after his search. "Apparently supper is ready."

"Apparently?" Serena asked quizzically, falling into step beside him.

"We'll Dad is cooking, so it's either going to be very good…or very, very bad."

Serena giggled, shaking her head ruefully. "Oh I don't care, I am so hungry right now I could stomach anything, even Dad's terrible cooking."

Jed placing a tentative hand on her shoulders, his eyes so full of remorse it made Serena feel truly humbled. "Hey, look I am sorry, you know, about what happened today at the lake."

Serena gingerly patted his hand, smiling warmly at her worried brother. "Actually Jed, I should be thanking you instead."

"Thanking me?" He asked, totally bemusement by her words.

"If you hadn't done what you did then I probably would never have had any time alone with Darien. And he might have not asked me about being his date for the cook off."

Scratching his neck, Jed was taken aback by the understanding, confident nature of his little sister. "Oh, well, you're welcome. I guess…?"

"Of course I could still tell Mom and Dad about how you assaulted me with a volley ball, and then let me wander off into the woods all alone."

Jed's eyes widened in panic. "You wouldn't?"

Serena grinned gamely. "I'll tell you what, I won't tell…if you can catch me first." Before the words where out of her mouth Serena had already sprinted ahead, leaving her baffled stepbrother in her wake.

"Serena Alexandra Tsukino, you big cheater!" He yelled, laughing as he chased after her.


End file.
